OUT OF SCHOOL & SUMMER
LEARNING NETWORK
The Out of School and Summer Learning Network is dedicated to increasing equitable access and enrollment in out-of-school and summer learning opportunities, collecting program provider data to drive targeted action, and make high-quality program training available to all community program providers.
QUALITY PROGRAMMING
The OOSSLN fosters a culture of continuous programmatic improvement for partners who directly serve Tacoma youth. Members have access to professional development workshops and trainings in alignment with the Center for Youth Program Quality.
EASTSIDE & SOUTH END
Low-income students not engaged in summer learning can fall two years behind their middle- and upper-middle income peers by fourth grade. The OOSSLN is combatting this slide with a heightened focus on the East and South End neighborhoods.
INVESTING IN ACCESS
Since 2013, the Network has helped direct more than $250,000 from the Foundation for Tacoma Students to community-based organizations with programs that reach underserved neighborhoods and communities.
NETWORK EVENTS
NETWORK STRATEGIES
YPQI Training
In partnership with the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation and School’s Out Washington, OOSSLN hosts free Youth Program Quality trainings for network members who are not YPQI trained.
Equity: increase awareness for trainings and reduce cost barriers for organizations who wish to participate.
Summer Access Funds
Summer Access Funds are financial awards given to community partners who serve TPS students in summer programs. Funding is intended to help support the summer program’s ability to expand slots.
Equity: we are intentionally looking to fund access for marginalized and underserved students on the East side and South end of Tacoma.
Summer Learning Tacoma
SummerLearningTacoma.org is a free online resource for TPS families looking for summertime activities.
Summer Learning Month highlights the impactful work being done in the community to provide quality summer programming for all children.
Summer Blast
Summer Blast is an annual two-day professional development seminar hosted by the network each June for front line summer staff.
Equity: this seminar is an affordable training opportunity for all Tacoma program staff working with summer youth.
NETWORK INDICATORS
DATA
Network members will measure the number of students partners serve, the ways which they are serving them (e.g. STEM, SEL, Athletic, etc), and the impact of the programs on their personal development in terms of social-emotional and 21st-century skills as measured by the Social Emotional Learning Program Quality Assessment SELPQA.
QUALITY
The network will increase student engagement through Youth Program Quality (YPQI) tools and methods; support programs in increasing the duration and strengthening the content of summer learning; offer community-wide training Summer/Winter Blast and sponsor and/or support YPQI Method trainings for Youth Development Personnel.
ACCESS
OOSSLN will mitigate and/or eliminate barriers such as cost, location, and transportation. The network will promote expanded learning opportunities widely to targeted populations in strategic ways that focus on students and families most negatively impacted by disparities or a regional dearth of ELO such as in the South End and Eastside.
NETWORK LEADS
Dr. Kimberly Keith
Hilltop Artists
Executive Director
Holy Chea
School’s Out WA
Pierce County Program Quality Manager
Leandra Shelton
Metro Parks Tacoma
Recreation Supervisor
Amber Evans-Wynn
YMCA of Pierce & Kitsap Counties
Senior Program Director
Joseph Colón
Foundation for Tacoma Students
Assistant Director of Collective Action
NETWORK PARTNERS
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound
- Centro Latino
- City of Tacoma
- Communities in Schools
- Degrees of Change
- Greater Tacoma Community Foundation
- KBTC
- LeMay America’s Car Museum
- Oasis Youth Center
- Peace Community Center
- Pierce Transit
- Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
- Puget Sound Educational Service District
- REACH Center
- Safe Streets
- Tacoma Arts Live
- Tacoma Art Museum
- Tacoma Housing Authority
- Tacoma Pierce County Chamber of Commerce
- Tacoma Public Schools
- Tacoma Rescue Mission
- University of Puget Sound
- University of WA Tacoma
- YWCA Pierce County
