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Drawing on a 2019 evaluation, the paper outlines recommendations: recognize the added value of drop-in models, leverage trusted community institutions like libraries, and adjust policies and expectations beyond assumptions tied to daily attendance. It details LEAP’s welcoming, inclusive design and summarizes staffing, activities, and participation data from 2018–19.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/policy-supports-for-drop-in-out-of-school-time-programs/586551/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/policy-supports-for-drop-in-out-of-school-time-programs/586551.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Angel","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-07","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":24},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What is LEAP and who does it serve?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"LEAP is a free, voluntary drop-in afterschool program run by the Free Library of Philadelphia for students of all ages within Philadelphia’s out-of-school time system (preK-12).","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Why are drop-in programs considered valuable in a citywide OST system?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The drop-in model ensures services are accessible to families who cannot or do not want to enroll daily, while still providing support when needed. It removes expectations for daily attendance and avoids penalties for low or occasional participation.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"How should policymakers and funders measure success for drop-in OST programs?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"The evaluation recommends adjusting expectations tied to daily attendance metrics. Drop-in utilization includes both core regular participants and a larger occasional group, so daily-attendance assumptions can misrepresent engagement and contribution.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},586551,1792886193,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":24,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":14,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":24,"preview_page_count":4},687207412472,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Policy Supports for Drop-in Out-of-School Time Programs  \nWith more than 25 years of experience providing library-based out-of-school time (OST) programming to Philadelphia children and youth in grades preK-12, LEAP (Literacy Enrichment Afterschool Program) offers insights into the distinct operations and contributions of drop-in programs. A 2019 evaluation of LEAP, conducted by Policy Studies Associates, yields three recommendations for policymakers and funders investing in a comprehensive OST system.  \n1. Recognize the added value of drop-in programs to a citywide OST system  \n• Consistent with its mission, the Free Library of Philadelphia is committed to making LEAP a resource that is “readily, equally, and equitably accessible to all library users.” By design, there is no expectation for daily attendance in LEAP.  \n• This drop-in design distinguishes LEAP from most other OST programs. It ensures that services are accessible to families who do not want to—or cannot—commit to enrolling their child in a daily afterschool program (e.g., because of high mobility or nontraditional work hours), but who need additional resources and assistance on occasion.  \nIt’s a free and voluntary program that you can attend as much or as little without any penalty whatsoever. You don’t have to work your life around it. There’s no mandatory activity that you must do. It’s all up to the child and whoever brings them.  \n–Afterschool Leader (ASL)  \nLocation of LEAP and Other OST Programs  \nin Philadelphia  \nSource: LEAP Participation data and City of Philadelphia, 2018.  \n2. Leverage the role of trusted public community institutions in an OST system  \nLEAP pays particular attention to providing welcoming and inclusive environments for the children and families served, in neighborhood libraries throughout Philadelphia. Indeed, libraries are often viewed as safe havens for communities. This positions the OST program as a trusted, safe resource that can help young people process the challenges in their lives or communities that can create barriers to learning.  \nKids know that we are here to help with homework. Otherwise, for some, the library is a nice, safe, warm and cozy space to be.”  \n-Librarian  \nFor example, LEAP staff describe:  \n• Bringing together young people of diverse backgroundsin a safe and enriching environment  \n• Offering a “neutral” environment that is removed from violence that young people may experience or witness in the community  \n• Defusing bullying and other negative behaviors, providing space for participants to talk through what they are experiencing and giving time and support to adjust attitudesand behaviors.  \n3. Ensure that policies and expectations reflect the context of program operations  \nData tracking and performance metrics for OST systems typically rely on capturing daily program participation for individual children, with an underlying assumption that regular participation is both an indicator and predictor of program success. Lessons learned from the LEAP evaluation point to the need to adjust expectations for drop-in programs.  \n• Patterns of LEAP utilization—with both a core group of regular participants and a significant group of occasional participants (see reverse side) are reflective of its unique goals and expectations as a drop-in program. The assumptions underlying metrics of daily attendance are inconsistent with program design and contribution to a comprehensive OST.  \n• In addition, in alignment with American Library Association values of confidentiality and privacy, LEAP does not require families to complete enrollment materials for their child to participate, as most OST programs do. Rooted in these library values, many staff are reluctant to collect demographic data or to ask participants to sign in, yielding counts in data management systems that likely undercount engagement with the program.  \nLEAPandthe City of Philadelphia’sOSTsystem  \nFor more than 25 years, the Free Library of Philadelphia","cbCaif5gZ5UNiFrN","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaif5gZ5UNiFrN","pdf",888556,"English","# Key Recommendations\n## Recognize the Added Value of Drop-in Programs\n## Leverage Trusted Public Community Institutions\n## Adjust Policies and Expectations to Program Context\n# LEAP in Philadelphia’s OST System\n## Program Overview and City Support\n## Staffing, Design, and Activities\n## LEAP by the Numbers (2018–19)","[{\"question\":\"What is LEAP and who does it serve?\",\"answer\":\"LEAP is a free, voluntary drop-in afterschool program run by the Free Library of Philadelphia for students of all ages within Philadelphia’s out-of-school time system (preK-12).\"},{\"question\":\"Why are drop-in programs considered valuable in a citywide OST system?\",\"answer\":\"The drop-in model ensures services are accessible to families who cannot or do not want to enroll daily, while still providing support when needed. It removes expectations for daily attendance and avoids penalties for low or occasional participation.\"},{\"question\":\"How should policymakers and funders measure success for drop-in OST programs?\",\"answer\":\"The evaluation recommends adjusting expectations tied to daily attendance metrics. Drop-in utilization includes both core regular participants and a larger occasional group, so daily-attendance assumptions can misrepresent engagement and contribution.\"}]","Policy Supports for Drop-in Out-of-School Time Programs | PDF",1792058309]