Best Practices

This document catalogues girl-centric and gender-sensitive best practices for programming for urban middle school girls. Although many coeducational programs use a gender-sensitive framework, for the purposes of this report I only included programs exclusively for girls. This ensures that girls remain the primary focus and that their needs can be more effectively met.

The two most credible and neutral databases are listed first; the three federally maintained lists and the Harvard list. Although I prioritized these two databases, the other best practices databases are equally important and shed light on the current trends in girls’ programming. Best practices are defined as being evidenced-based programs, programs that have identified outcomes, implemented their curriculum accordingly, and have taken evaluative measures to prove their program results in the desired outcomes.

This document is merely meant to help you begin your search, I recommend visiting the websites of all the databases, the websites outline in great detail the goals of the programs, the evaluative measures taken, and the outcomes that the curriculums produced.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitant to contact the Investing in Girls Alliance at info [at] investingingirls [dot] org or 508-757-5631 ext 204.