This paper reports on the promising findings of our STEM Educators Academy, an ExpandED Schools initiative where classroom teachers and after-school educators engage in joint professional development at premiere science institutions and then work together back at their schools to teach maker-design projects that spark student interest and cultivate curiosity in STEM subjects.

Policy Studies Associates (PSA) has evaluated the national demonstration of ExpandED Schools since the demonstration, supported by The Wallace Foundation and others, was launched in the 2011-12 school year in 10 schools in New York City, Baltimore and New Orleans. Over four years, the evaluation explored the approaches that participating schools took to adopting the ExpandED Schools model, in particular seeking to understand the conditions that support—or hinder—the implementation of an expanded day.

The national demonstration of TASC's ExpandED Schools was launched in 2011-12 in New York City, Baltimore and New Orleans. The ExpandED Schools demonstration is being evaluated by Policy Studies Associates (PSA) and is rolling out at a time when there is heightened awareness among educators, researchers and youth development experts about the importance of cultivating certain students mindsets that are precursors to academic performance.This research brief presents evidence that by working together strategically and collaboratively, schools and community partner organizations can create a positive environment that enables students to take control of their own learning and gain confidence in their ability to succeed.

Conducted by Policy Studies Associates (PSA),the evaluation of the first two years of the national demonstration of ExpandED Schools (the 2011-12 and 2012-13 school years) focused on the implementation of TASC’s model and on strategies used by schools and community partners to scale up and institutionalize expanded learning. Although some challenges remain, based on the findings from 2012-13 discussed in this report, ExpandED Schools demonstrated significant progress towards implementing the model with fidelity, including moving towards an expanded day for all students in the school, strengthening collaborations, offering balanced learning opportunities and developing plans to sustain expanded learning.

The 2012-2013 results of TASC's "Eat, Fit, Fun" initiative, funded by the Carol M. White Physical Education Program grant.