The Accordion Effect: Is Quality in Afterschool Getting the Squeeze?

Dana Fusco of City University of New York, Anne Lawrence of Robert Bowne Foundation, Susan Matloff-Nieves of Queens Community House, and Esteban Ramos of Fresh Youth Initiatives recently published "The Accordion Effect: Is Quality in Afterschool Getting the Squeeze?" in Journal for Youth Development. The article describes the impact of increased external and regulatory pressures that have taken hold of community-based afterschool programs at a time of reduced financial and social capital. The authors name the factors that are creating what they call The Accordion Effect and describe its "squeezing" impact on quality programming. They conclude with recommendations for reclaiming quality youth work. The authors also published an op-ed on their findings in Youth Today.