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The Child Care Partnership Project MOST |
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Description The MOST Initiative (Making the Most of Out-of-School Time) is a multi-year national initiative with the goal to increase the supply and improve the quality of programs for children when they are out of school. MOST focuses its attention on low-income children ages 5 to 14 in the cities of Boston, Chicago, and Seattle. The Initiative supports, improves, and expands services to school-age children and youth by implementing a host of community-based collaborative projects aimed at building a sustainable system of care for children in their out-of-school time. Partners The DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund (DWRD) launched the MOST Initiative, which was designed in partnership with the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women. NIOST also serves as national manager for the effort. In each of the three cities where NIOST operates, action plans were developed through an intensive collaborative process aimed at engaging a wide range of public and private community stakeholders, including parents, school-age program administrators and staff, city officials, higher education institutions, and public schools. Youth and local community members are also encouraged to participate in and contribute to local initiatives. Each plan is unique to the needs and resources of its particular community. In 1995, DWRD awarded grants to 3 of 26 cities that submitted applications. Chicago, Boston, and Seattle were chosen because the necessary leadership and support were already in place in these cities. Seattle partners include Seattle Central Community College, School’s Out Consortium/YWCA, Child Care Resources, and the city of Seattle. In Boston, the Mayor's Office, Parents United for Child Care, and the State Department of Education are involved. In Chicago, the Day Care Action Council, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Chicago Park District provide local support. History and Development The DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Fund founded MOST to address the need for a more comprehensive approach to the issues surrounding school-age care. MOST was designed to meet the following goals:
Current Activities The activities of the MOST Initiative vary from city to city, but all focus on raising the quality and increasing the supply of school-age child care. The MOST Initiative works to create environments that meet children’s social, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs. In Boston, the initiative:
In Chicago, some of the activities and accomplishments of the initiative include:
In Seattle, MOST has:
Resources Each city received $2.2 million over a three-year period from the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund and was required to raise approximately $1.5 million in matching resources from local sources. For instance, in Boston local funds are provided by Neighborhood Jobs Trust of the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools, The Boston Foundation, Polaroid Foundation and several local foundations. Other resources consist of the time that volunteers and members of the communities contribute to the local efforts. Results One of the most important results of MOST is greater awareness of how children and youth are spending their out-of-school time. MOST has focused the spotlight on this issue locally and nationally. Lessons have also been learned about the negative impact that low provider wages and high turnover have on the quality of school-age care programs. The DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund contracted with The Chapin Hall Center for Children at the University of Chicago to conduct an evaluation of MOST. The evaluation report will address issues of supply, system-building, and self-assessment strategies for program improvement. The evaluation results will not be available until the summer of 1999, but the 1998 interim report found that MOST has helped build systems of school-age care and added to the supply of care in all three cities. Sustaining and Replicating At present, MOST has no specific plans to replicate the program in other areas of the country. Staff from MOST and the cities will be presenting strategies and lessons from the initiative. MOST also will develop written materials and staff are available for consultation. Lessons Learned Be able to work on several fronts at the same time. Work with all sites and partners on an on-going basis in order to respond to the ever-changing needs of the various programs and trends in out-of-school programming. Keep the collaboration intact and vital. Work closely with the partners, so that everyone remains involved and excited about the initiative. Take into account the ideas of all the different partners. Continually assess and modify plans according to findings. The needs and the dynamics of the individual programs are constantly changing. Therefore, it is essential to work closely with the sites in order to serve them in the best way possible. Take advantage of opportunities. It is important to recognize that different groups from within the communities, as well as outside organizations, have a lot to offer, whether it be financial support, in-kind contributions, or simply a helping hand. Contact Information Joyce Shortt Boston MOST: Seattle MOST: |
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