Young people spend nearly 900 hours each year outside the school day. The 900 Hours Project ensures every one of those hours is intentional, skills-driven, and transformational.
Out-of-school time is one of the most powerful and underestimated forces in a young person's life. Nearly 10 million children participate in OST programs each year, with millions more waiting to join. Dedicated providers show up every day to build skills, confidence, and connection. What's been missing are the resources to match: purpose-built curriculum, professional learning, and support tools designed specifically for the OST environment.
The 900 Hours Project was founded on a simple belief: OST programs deserve exceptional support. We offer a complete system — program design, curriculum, training, and coaching — built to the highest standard and designed specifically for how OST works. Mixed grade bands, variable schedules, easy-to-implement lessons, and rolling staff training mean the 900 Hours approach can work within any existing program model.
The 900 Hours Project provides comprehensive support to OST programs. Below are some of our core services and offerings. Every engagement is customized to the goals, context, and needs of the partner organization.
We partner with program leaders to design and refine the foundational structures that make high-quality programming possible: schedules and staffing, curriculum selection, school coordination, data systems, family engagement, and program quality. Every recommendation is tailored to your program's vision, population, and goals.
Our OST-first curriculum is the instructional backbone of the program. Every lesson teaches future-ready skills while embedding literacy and math in ways that are relevant and engaging for young people. Organized into five thematic modules per grade band covering leadership, health and self-management, civics and digital citizenship, innovation and problem-solving, and finance and future careers, the curriculum is designed to be implemented 3–5 times per week in 45-minute sessions. Each module includes standards-aligned assessments and annual data reports so programs always have a clear picture of student progress.
Our training is designed to meet educators where they are, regardless of experience level. Immersive, practical, and engaging sessions build the core knowledge and routines staff need to deliver high-quality programming. And because training is offered year-round, programs can onboard new staff at any point without skipping a beat.
Our coaches are experienced practitioners who understand what high-quality instruction looks like in the OST environment. Ongoing virtual and in-person coaching includes observations and feedback, model lessons, coaching conversations, and student work analysis. Together, training and coaching create a continuous support system that grows with your staff over time.
We work across the OST field: with programs, systems-builders, and funders alike.
Delivering afterschool programming and looking for support, whether that's purpose-built curriculum, training, and coaching, or consulting and program design services to strengthen what they already have.
Building quality infrastructure across networks of sites and seeking a comprehensive, scalable model for OST support.
Investing in OST at scale and looking for evidence-based partners with the capacity to deliver meaningful, lasting impact.
Arin, an educator, entrepreneur, and author, has spent her career supporting educators to reimagine student outcomes and experiences in urban schools. Before founding the 900 Hours Project, Arin founded and served as CEO of Lavinia Group, a leading curriculum, consulting, summer school, and professional learning organization.
Under Arin's leadership, Lavinia Group quickly grew to support hundreds of schools to close the opportunity gap, currently serving over 400,000 students across 30 states. Arin is excited to bring her expertise to the OST space.
Jackie is an accomplished education leader and advocate who co-founded the 900 Hours Project to bring comprehensive, high-quality learning experiences to young people in the OST space. Prior to this, Jackie served as President of Lavinia Group, where she designed innovative programs and products for schools nationwide.
At Lavinia Group, Jackie founded the RISE summer school program — serving over 90,000 students across the country — and led the development of RedThread, a science-of-reading-based literacy curriculum. Earlier in her career, Jackie held roles in district leadership, led a National Blue Ribbon elementary school, and taught middle school in New York City.
Whether you're an OST provider, school, intermediary, or funder, we'd love to connect and explore how we can work together.