About Us

The Center for Expanded Learning is the out-of-school time division of Foundations, Inc. Foundations believes that learning and healthy development can and should happen across the day-in school, after school, at home, and in communities.

The Center grew from deep roots as a provider of afterschool programs in Philadelphia and rural central New Jersey. From that base, the Center expanded, with the mission of building the educational quality of out-of-school time opportunities field-wide.

Today, the Center provides professional development, technical assistance, tools and publications to thousands of practitioners and leaders across the country. We remain solidly grounded in practice. Hands-on experience operating programs in Philadelphia and the surrounding area keeps our feet on the ground and helps us translate theory into usable practice. We are committed to building on the diverse knowledge, skills, and talents of program leaders, staff, and organizations to make out-of-school programs a place to bring learning to life for children and youth of all ages.

The Center is also a partner in national fieldbuilding initiatives, and our staff serve on numerous boards and national committees.

Mission and Goals

The Center aims to make out-of-school time a time for exciting and energizing learning that helps children and young people succeed in every facet of their lives.

We imagine a time when all children can attend dynamic programs led by skilled staff who teach, inspire, support and connect so children can learn and grow. We see afterschool as a vital player in helping children develop as capable, caring, and engaged individuals and members of multiple communities.

The Center focuses on two levels. On the program level, the Center promotes high-quality programming through staff training, leadership development, deliberate program design, and the use of afterschool education strategies, techniques, and methods.

On the field level, the Center conducts targeted research, works to build systems of professional training and education, and conducts outreach to raise awareness of the educational role and capacity of afterschool and expanded learning time.

The Center helps improve quality field-wide by:

• Building on the assets and skills of programs, staff, and organizations to set and attain high goals for quality
• Developing, piloting, providing, and evaluating professional development to produce meaningful change in program and staff practices
• Building the capacity of leaders to sustain effective programming and quality improvement through changing times
• Creating and providing practical, affordable, user-friendly tools and publications for high-quality afterschool education practices and for ongoing staff development
• Engaging in outreach, advocacy, and awareness-building for afterschool education and extended day and school years
• Building systems to ensure steady, skilled leadership and a pipeline of afterschool educators