In 2001, Arizona’s Children’s Action Alliance (CCA) developed a resource for community groups interested in exploring the need for care for school-age children. Titled “School-Age Care Tool Kit: A Guide for Measuring Needs in Your Community,” the resource provided step-by-step advice to community organizations on how to identify the need for programs for school-age children and how to assess existing program resources available in the community. More recently–and with a Safe and Drug Free Schools grant, CCA identified two Arizona communities to serve as “pilot sites” to conduct an after-school needs and assets assessment. This report is designed to augment the Tool-Kit by providing case studies of the pilot projects in Tucson and Scottsdale, summarizing lessons learned, and providing the tools and instruments used in both communities. Lessons learned include the following: build on existing efforts rather than spending time on creating new committees or processes; engage the community in the needs assessment process; and secure adequate resources for conducting the needs assessment. The report’s six appendices include the Tucson parent survey and results, other materials pertaining to the Tucson site, and a draft of the Scottsdale parent survey. (HTH)
