How do you know if your after school program is meeting the needs of the youth and community it serves? Like the students it serves, you measure its strengths and challenges using a variety of tests designed to show you where your program is succeeding and where you need to improve.

Before you measure, however, you must clearly define your goals and set a benchmark for each, so you have something against which to measure.

After school programs provide an important support role within the community but recruiting and retention are always challenging, particularly for older students and at-risk communities.

Many students do not become involved because nobody asks them to be or they do not know how to get involved. Others do not want to make a commitment due to family and work pressures or a preference for unstructured time. Some of those who are interested lack transportation or have other obstacles to attending.