Program areas at BASB
Boston summer learning - Boston summer learning is the agency's most enduring initiative, impacting nearly 17,000 Boston students through hundreds of programs each year. Co-managed by the agency and the Boston public schools, Boston summer learning leverages the strengths of teachers, community organizations, and Boston's rich array of natural, cultural, and neighborhood resources to equip youth with the skills, experiences and social capital to navigate life's challenges and opportunities.
Social and emotional learning (sel) - the partnerships for social and emotional learning initiative (pseli), funded by the wallace foundation in Boston and five other cities, aims to improve students' social and emotional skills through collaborations among elementary schools and their after-school program partners. Core elements of the approach include assessment, professional development, and coaching toward continuous improvement. The agency manages the wallace foundation grant, which includes substantial resources for the Boston public schools.
Out of School time initiative supports programs in providing students with out of School time program opportunities throughout the year. The agency's network of programs reach over 7,500 students with academic enrichment support during and After the School day. Several private foundations and the department of elementary and secondary education contributed funds to support these programs.
Measurement and improvement - measurement and improvement support each of the agency's initiatives. With common measures of program performance and student progress, programs can understand their relative strengths and areas for improvement and learn from other programs in the agency's network. More than 400 programs and 250 certified observers work with the agency to evaluate program performance and plan for improvement, using a common suite of evaluation tools and engaging in a peer observer network that both assesses program quality and builds the expertise of program staff.stem - the agency's bostem initiative is building a science, technology, engineering, and math ("stem") ecosystem to expand access to high quality stem experiences for Boston youth. The hands-on, project-based nature of stem programs are designed to enable students to learn college and career readiness skills and gain interest in stem careers. This initiative aims to create stronger connections between schools and Boston's stem resources, and train educators to engage students in stem content and practices.