The Out-of-School Time Special Interest Group (OST SIG) is an affinity group for professionals and students interested in research on how children and youth spend their time during out-of-school hours.  A primary focus of this research is teaching and learning in before- and after-school programs and summer programs, but out-of-school time also includes weekends, holidays, evenings, and other times of day characterized by discretionary opportunity, choice, and flexibility.

The purpose of the OST SIG is to provide a forum for researchers in out-of-school time teaching and learning to share resources and become each others' resources, to provide venues and opportunities to present related research, and to bring additional resources to AERA.

The OST SIG formed just prior to the 2006 annual meeting in San Francisco.