The Coalition for Science After School envisions the day when young people from all backgrounds have access to high-quality science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning beyond the classroom.
The Coalition is a strategic alliance of individuals and organizations from STEM education, youth development and programs held outside of school time. Our mission is to coordinate and mobilize community stakeholders to strengthen and expand opportunities that engage young people in science after school.
In January of 2004, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded a meeting of 40 representatives from 30 STEM and afterschool organizations to see whether they shared any common ground —and they did! Building on the consensus reached during the initial meeting, even more stakeholders from more organizations gathered in early 2005 for a second NSF-funded meeting, where they designed a blueprint for the field.
In 2007, Science in After-School, A Blueprint for Action was published under the leadership of Jason Freeman, the first Director of the Coalition. Jason also co-edited the spring 2008 edition of the journal of the National AfterSchool Association, The AfterSchool Review, which dedicated an entire issue to afterschool STEM education. Later that year, in collaboration with Project Exploration, the Coalition co-hosted the first National Conference on Science & Technology in Out-of-School Time, bringing together professionals from across the nation involved with STEM education out-of-school.
Members of the Coalition’s leadership have been active participants in a variety of conferences: 21st Century CLC Summer Institute, NSTA, ASTC and the National AfterSchool Association’s Advocacy Day, just to name a few. They have hosted several communities of practice and engage in dynamic political advocacy for afterschool science education.