starr

Betsy Starr

Research Associate

A.B. Bowdoin College, M.Ed. Harvard Graduate School

Elizabeth Starr, M.Ed., has been a Research Associate at the National Institute on Out-of-School Time (NIOST) at the Wellesley Centers for Women since 2007. Her work has focused on workforce development, quality improvement, and system-building.

As part of the National Center on Afterschool and Summer Enrichment (NCASE), a technical assistance center launched by the U.S. Office of Child Care, she facilitates webinars and peer learning opportunities focused on strengthening the school-age workforce.  She is also a collaborator on the Power of Us Youth Fields Workforce Study funded by the Wallace Foundation and a co-editor of The Heartbeat of the Youth Development Field: Professional Journeys of Growth, Connection, and Transformation, a volume in Current Issues in Out-of-School Time.

Since joining NIOST, Ms. Starr has contributed to many projects including: work with the U.S. Department of Education to support the 21st CCLC program through state monitoring and technical assistance; the Wallace Foundation’s Next Generation Afterschool System Building Initiative; work with the Wyoming After School Alliance on the Wyoming Afterschool Professional Development System Framework; the Career Pathways Project; Youth Work Core Competencies: A Review of Existing Frameworks and Purposes; Credentialing for 21st CCLC Staff: An Overview of the Benefits and Impacts. She and her colleagues at NIOST conducted the research and made the recommendations for the Core Knowledge and Competencies for Afterschool and Youth Development Professionals which were adopted by the National Afterschool Association in 2011 and revised in 2021.

Before joining NIOST, Ms. Starr also contributed to other projects at the Wellesley Centers for Women related to early child care and education, including the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development. She enjoyed her work as a child and family advocate at a residential program for survivors of domestic abuse here in Massachusetts and as a mental health counselor for children and teens in school and clinic settings in Vermont. She still enjoys any time spent with youth (especially her own teenagers)

Ms. Starr holds a M.Ed. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and an A.B. in Psychology from Bowdoin College.

  • PEOPLE ARE SAYING

    "NIOST has been an anchor for numerous school age care projects we do, including ASQ (After-School Quality) and Links to Learning. They are a nationally respected organization that Pennsylvania has partnered with for over 20 years."



    – Betsy O. Saatman, TA Specialist/SAC Initiatives, Pennsylvania Key
  • PEOPLE ARE SAYING

    "NIOST was a core partner in supporting the development of quality improvement systems across the nine cities that participated in The Wallace Foundation Next Generation Afterschool System-Building Initiative. The NIOST team worked well with other technical assistance partners in the initiative, always willing to pitch in and collaborate with others to make our professional learning community meetings a team effort. I truly hope the Foundation has an opportunity to partner with them in the future."


    – Priscilla M. Little, Initiative Manager, The Wallace Foundation

  • PEOPLE ARE SAYING

    "NIOST has been a leader in the out-of-school time field for as long as I can remember, and I have relied on their research, tools, and advice to improve my practice throughout my career. Their staff members are good partners and good listeners, and their influence across the country is palpable."


    – Jane Quinn, Vice President and Director of National Center for Community Schools, Children's Aid Society
  • PEOPLE ARE SAYING

    "Georgia Hall, Ellen Gannett, and the NIOST team have been instrumental in driving the healthy afterschool movement. Their dedication to quality practice, informed policy, and collective impact is instrumental in our effort to create healthier communities."



    – Daniel W. Hatcher, Director, Community Partnerships, Alliance for a Healthier Generation

niost logo white

The National Institute on Out-of-School Time

A program of the Wellesley Centers for Women at Wellesley College

Wellesley Centers for Women
Wellesley College
106 Central Street
Wellesley, MA 02481-8203 USA

niost@wellesley.edu
781.283.2547
Directions to NIOST

Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience. By continuing to use our site, or clicking "Continue", you are agreeing to our privacy policy.
Continue Privacy Policy