OUT 2 LEARN

About Out 2 Learn

With funding from Houston Endowment, the City of Houston, United Way of Greater Houston, and Harris County Department of Education’s CASE for Kids are collaborating to ensure every Houston-area youth can access quality out-of-school programming within the Out 2 Learn network.

• Mission and Vision

  The Mission

  Out 2 Learn will expand access to high quality out-of-school time services to all families in our region through a coordinated, youth-centered approach to professional development, community investment, community awareness of the importance of quality services and youth voice.

  The Vision

  All families in the Greater Houston region will have access to high quality out of school time opportunities!

• Our Values

  Access

  Out 2 Learn addresses pronounced gaps in out-of school time (OST) services by making strategic investments into historically underserved communities with high populations of youth in lack of quality programming. Funded projects are enrolled in O2L quality efforts to improve youth outcomes while allowing the overall provider community to glean insights. Through a coordination of funding streams, Out 2 Learn leverages resources to systematically serve more families and allow OST program to strive towards program scalability and sustainability.

  Connections

  Out 2 Learn is committed to making information on OST programs accessible to the community. The Out 2 Learn website serves as a comprehensive searchable database for use by parents and families to help locate quality OST programs. As an alternative, OST information is also available by dialing the 2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE.

  Out 2 Learn also hosts quarterly meetings for OST professionals to discuss quality, OST trends, best practices, in addition to providing opportunities for OST agencies to network and collaborate. Lastly, Out 2 Learn conducts outreach throughout the Greater Houston area to raise awareness of the importance of OST!

  Quality

  Out 2 Learn is committed to helping organizations deliver high-quality programming. The network follows a nationally recognized Youth Program Quality Intervention and continuous improvement process in order to assess and improve quality in programs serving our communities.

• Our Partners

  The People Behind the Network

  This Out 2 Learn Network would not be possible without the vision, determination and dedication of some very important and influential organizations devoted to making quality youth programs available to students and families all across greater Houston.

  Houston Endowment

  Established by Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones in 1937, Houston Endowment advances equity of opportunity for the people of greater Houston and enhances the vibrancy of our region. The Foundation is committed to helping foster the creation of high-quality out-of-school time opportunities for all Houston-area children through Out 2 Learn.

  Houston Endowment plays an active role in the network, including via the Access Workgroup, which makes funding decisions to support out-of-school time opportunities in underserved areas. The Foundation has also worked to identify and secure additional public and private funding. The Houston Endowment is proud to be a founding partner Out 2 Learn. Learn more about the Foundation here.

  The City of Houston Mayor’s Office of Education

  The Mayor’s Office of Education works to create equitable educational opportunity for all Houstonians by collaboration, communication, and coordination with Houston’s education stakeholders. Utilizing a collective impact approach, the office works to enhance and institutionalize city-wide educational access, equity, and opportunity. Out 2 Learn is an example of one of its critical initiatives.

  United Way of Greater Houston

  United Way of Greater Houston creates the opportunity for every person in our community to thrive by leading, serving, influencing, and convening the nonprofit social services sector to deliver quality services with exceptional outcomes. One of UWGH’s key areas of investment is academic success, as we know that students must be prepared to pursue postsecondary education pathways in order to successfully compete in the 21st century workforce and lead our community into the future.

  Out 2 Learn is UWGH’s newest cross-sectoral collaboration through which we seek to continue our support of Houston youth’s academic success. Within the Out 2 Learn partnership, UWGH serves as the lead agency that has full-time staff members dedicated to the various Out 2 Learn strategies. UWGH also leverages the power of the 2-1-1 Texas/United Way HELPLINE to offer Out 2 Learn resources to callers 24/7 in over 150 languages. UWGH has been a long time funder and supporter of out-of-school time, our commitment to Out 2 Learn is an integral part of that. Learn more about the United Way of Greater Houston here.

  Harris County Department of Education (CASE for Kids)

  The mission of CASE (Center on After School and Enrichment) for Kids is to strengthen, support, and sustain after-school programs and out-of-school activities. Our vision is a connected community invested in opportunities for youth, and we believe that together we can best equalize access to learning and enrichment opportunities for youth in need. A quality program provides a safe and inclusive environment, diverse learning opportunities, effective administrative strategies, collaborative relationships, and program promotion. CASE provides funding and grants administration to 44 comprehensive afterschool programs that serve youth 12-15 hours a week by providing both academic- and enrichment-based programming. Additionally, CASE hosts Kids’ Day and outreach events to enhance service delivery and help raise the awareness of the importance of afterschool.

  In collaboration with Out 2 Learn, CASE offers professional development, technical support, and quality coaching services to the out-of-school time field. Furthermore, CASE staff take an active role in Out 2 Learn efforts by including staff as committee members on the Out 2 Learn Coordinating Council, Access Workgroup, Data Workgroup, and the Connections Workgroup. Find out more about the efforts of the Harris County Department of Education here.

• FAQ

  Questions from Parents

  What opportunities are available in which I can enroll my child?

  There are a wide range of fulfilling quality programs for youth between the ages of 5 and 18 offered in one or more of the following categories:

  Academic Enrichment

  Camp

  College & Career Readiness

  Community Service

  Culinary Arts

  Cultural Awareness

  International Studies & Travel

  Journalism and Writing

  Languages & Linguistics

  Mentoring

  Sports and Recreation

  STEM

  Visual and Performing Arts

  And more

  How do I find out the cost of each program?

  There will be a cost associated with some, but not all, of the listed programs. Each program listing will indicate whether or not a cost is required and any information that we have received from the agency offering the program regarding the cost.

  Where is each program located? What times do the programs operate? Is there transportation assistance available?

  Each program listing will indicate where the program is located along with days and hours of operation. Many of the listings will indicate whether or not transportation to and from the location is available.

  Questions from Program Providers

  When can my site join the YPQI process?

  The Out 2 Learn Network has two YPQI cycles that take place during the spring and fall of each year. Select sites may be eligible to join a summer cycle.

  How long is the YPQI process?

  An entire cycle (fall or spring) is about 4 months, allowing enough time for sites to complete their self-assessment and to create an action plan to facilitate growth.

  How much does it cost to join the YPQI process?

  Nothing! When you become a part of the Out 2 Learn network, we cover the expense of the YPQI process, including training and materials.

  How can our program receive an external quality assessment?

  United Way and Harris County Department of Education’s CASE for Kids will be conducting external quality assessments. Due to the demand for external assessments, it may take up to 3 years to receive an external assessment. Before a program can receive an external assessment, the program must be part of the Out 2 Learn network. All interested programs should contact Ashley Tate to join the Out 2 Learn Quality network.

  Is there a way to reclassify our program (into a different category, age group, etc.)?

  Program classifications are based on a yearly data collection process. To reclassify your program before the next annual data collection, the designated Out 2 Learn representative at your organization can contact Haya Khan.

  Are there currently any funding opportunities available for out-of-school time Providers?

  Yes! Applications for the Out 2 Learn 2019-2020 Fall/Spring RFP are being accepted through Thursday, July 11, 2019. Please see the RFP information page for more details.

  Other Questions

  How much weight should I give to the Committed 2 Quality icon?

  When you see a Committed 2 Quality badge next to a program, you may consider it as an indicator that the program offers high-quality instruction that is centered on youth engagement. Programs who have received the icon have submitted an approved strategic plan for quality improvement and have completed 10+ hours of quality improvement training.

  What does it mean when a program doesn’t have a Committed 2 Quality icon?

  When a program doesn’t have a Committed 2 Quality badge, that means that the program has not participated in the Out 2 Learn’s quality improvement process, or at least not to the extent of completing 10+ hours of training along with an approved strategic plan for quality improvement.

  What does it mean to be listed on the website? Are these programs endorsed by the Out 2 Learn Coordinating Council?

  The Out 2 Learn website is intended to be a repository of all out-of-school time youth programs in Greater Houston. Any program that submits program data to Haya Khan is able to be listed on the website. However, listed programs are not endorsed by the Out 2 Learn Coordinating Council for quality.

• Current Network Members

  We are grateful for the support and cooperation of the following agencies and entities whose programming you can find listed on Out 2 Learn’s Program Locator Tool:

  4.0 GPA LLC

  AAMA (Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans)

  Academy of Accelerated Learning

  AFA (American Festival for the Arts)

  Aldine ISD

  Alief ISD

  BakerRipley

  Boys & Girls Club of Greater Houston

  Breakthrough Houston at Connect Community

  Breakthrough Houston at St. John’s School

  CHAT (Culture of Health Advancing Together)

  Children’s Museum of Houston

  Chinese Community Center

  City Artworks

  City of Houston Municipal Courts Department

  City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department

  Code Park Houston

  CollegeCommunityCareer

  Community Family Centers

  Comp-U-Dopt

  Easter Seals Greater Houston

  Education Française Greater Houston

  Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center

  Fostering Stars Learning & Resource Center, Inc.

  FotoFest International

  Genesys Works

  Gentle Minds Tutoring

  Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council

  Girls Inc. of Greater Houston

  Girlstart

  Holocaust Museum Houston

  Houston Area Urban League

  Houston Food Bank

  Houston ISD

  Houston Public Library

  HYPE Freedom School, Inc.

  India House Houston

  Initiatives for Healthy Communities

  Just Add Beats

  KEW Learning Academy

  Mayor’s Anti-Gang Office

  MECA (Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts)

  MI3 Center Academy

  Mission Transformation

  Newspring Art Studio

  PAIR (Partnership for the Advancement & Immersion of Refugees) Houston

  Pals Activity Center

  Pasadena ISD

  Precinct2gether

  Project GRAD Houston

  Read, Write, & Create, Inc.

  Recipe For Success Foundation

  Sheldon ISD

  Southwest Schools

  St. Luke’s Methodist

  STEAM Kidstitute

  The Rad Academy: School of Dance

  The Rising Star Collaborative Coalition

  The Texan French Alliance for the Arts

  The Woods Project

  TXRX Labs

  Urban Enrichment Institute

  Wesley Community Center

  Workshop Houston

  Writers in the Schools

  YMCA of Greater Houston