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21st Century Community Learning Centers Minnesota Performance Report 2016-17
Year Published: 2018
This statewide evaluation of Minnesota’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) programs during the 2016-17 school year finds positive academic and behavioral outcomes associated with participation. For example, 81 percent of participants shared that their program helps them feel good about themselves, and students who were deemed as regular participants in 21st CCLC programming (attended 30 days or more) were 13 percent more likely to be proficient in reading and 10 percent more likely to be proficient in math compared to their peers who attended the program less often.
Program Name: Minnesota 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Scope of the Evaluation: Statewide
Program Type: Summer, Afterschool
Community Type: Rural, Urban, Suburban
Grade level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Demographics:
In the 2016-2017 program year, 72 percent of participants in Minnesota 21st CCLC sites were students of color, 71 percent were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, 21 percent were designated as special education students, and 15 percent were English language learners. Approximately half of participants were girls (49.8 percent).
Program Website: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/oos/after/21/
Evaluator: Minnesota Department of Education
Evaluation Methods:
To conduct this evaluation, evaluators matched student-level data with Minnesota Department of Education’s (MDE) school-day attendance data, collected student responses from the Survey of Academic and Youth Outcomes – Youth Survey (SAYO-Y), and examined participant scores from the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) state tests in reading, math, and science to measure 21st CCLC participant outcomes.
Evaluation Type: Quasi-experimental;Non-experimental
Summary of Outcomes:
Authors of this evaluation of Minnesota’s 21st CCLC programs during the 2016-17 school year conclude that, “regular participation in [21st CCLC programs] is helping students achieve success in the classroom and in the community.” These programs intentionally target students who are receiving free or reduced-price lunch, are English Language Learners, have special education status, and students of color – and serve more students in these categories than the average across Minnesota.
In terms of attendance outcomes, evaluators found that 11,363 (49 percent) of students attended 21st CCLC programming for 30 days or more, which is considered regular attendance in the program. Additionally, of those regular participants, 80 percent also consistently attended the regular school day (over 90 percent of school days attended).
Participants shared in the Survey of Academic and Youth Outcomes – Youth Survey (SAYO-Y) that their program helped them to complete their homework (66 percent), do better in school (75 percent), and try harder in school (76 percent). They also reported feeling more competent as a learner, with over 8 in 10 sharing that, “I’m as good as other kids/teens my age at learning new things” (82 percent) and “I like to give new things a try, even if they look hard” (81 percent).
Students showed success in core academic areas, with 21st CCLC participants improving in reading (6 percent moved from “not proficient” to “proficient”) and math (5 percent moved from “not proficient” to “proficient”) according to Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment (MCA) results. Researchers found that students who were regular participants in 21st CCLC programming (attended 30 days or more) were 13 percent more likely to be proficient in reading and 10 percent more likely to be proficient in math than their peers who attend the program less often.
21st CCLC programs are also places students want to be. Nearly all participants shared that they like going to their program (93 percent) and that they have fun at their program (92 percent). Students reported that there were adults who helped them (88 percent) and who they listen to and respect (94 percent). Finally, participant well-being was another finding, with a majority sharing that their program has helped them find out what they’re good at doing (83 percent), feel good about themselves (81 percent), and make new friends (77 percent).
