Website connects parents with after-school programs
Partnership creates searchable database with about 350 child care options from 21 groups
Finding child care just became a little easier for parents of school-aged children who can log on to a website created under a new partnership among government agencies and private groups in Harris County.
The website, out2learnhou. org, features information about 350 after-school, weekend and summer programs for children provided by 21 organizations. Its searchable database contains maps and filters, allowing parents to narrow their options based on location, program type, age range and other features.
The site, which debuted Jan. 8, is a signature part of Out 2 Learn, a collaboration of several government agencies and private entities in the Houston area. It is primarily led by the United Way of Greater Houston, the city of Houston, the Houston Endowment and Harris County Department of Education.
An existing need
Organizers started the partnership after finding the region lacked a unified vision for connecting parents with out-ofschool programs, such as reading groups, mentoring organizations and after-school tutors.
“There are a lot of kids in need who could benefit from highquality out-of-school services who aren’t receiving them,” said Amy Corron, assistant vice president of community impact for the United Way of Greater Houston. “We also believe there are a lot of families in the community who don’t know where to find services, or who may not know there’s a difference between a babysitting-type center and a high-quality-type center.”
Out 2 Learn began its work about a year ago, commissioning a study to analyze the region’s supply and demand of out-ofschool programs.
The review found funding totaled about $33.8 million from the region’s most high-profile out-of-school financial providers, including the federal government’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, the Texas Education Agency and large private foundations. It also identified several parts of Harris County, mostly in Houston and Spring, where there are too few programs for children in highpoverty areas.
“We identified that we had dollars that were coming in, but they were not going to regions that had historically underperforming schools, and so that was a light bulb,” said Tonyel Simon, a program officer for the Houston Endowment. “There’s an opportunity to encourage our students to do better. How can we ensure there’s an equitable and strategic investment in this space?”
More funds in the future
Out 2 Learn organizers also hope to attract more money for out-of-school programs. Juliet Stipeche, the director of education in Mayor Sylvester Turner’s administration, said it will be easier to lobby legislators and private donors with a single, unified voice through Out 2 Learn.
“Right now, without having that type of regional commonality and language and mission, it’s more difficult to approach any funder — whether it’s coming from the federal government, state or local philanthropy — and ask them to be supportive,” Stipeche said.
In the coming year, Out 2 Learn will further develop a quality improvement process, aimed at helping providers establish better systems and programs. The organization will also seek to add more organizations and programs to its database.
The Houston Endowment has pledged $2.1 million for the collaboration in its first three years. The money will pay for new outof-school programs in high-need areas and three full-time positions dedicated to Out 2 Learn at the United Way of Greater Houston, among other costs. The city of Houston provided staff members to develop the website.