Evaluator: Walker, T., Valentino, S., Hashemi, M., & Roy, L., The Forum for Youth Investment’s Davis P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality

Evaluation Methods:

To assess the impact of Arkansas 21st CCLC programs, this annual statewide evaluation examined improvements in program quality, youth engagement in academic and enrichment activities, and the development of life skills among participating PK-12th grade students. These findings were then examined alongside the Arkansas 21st CCLC Statewide Goals and Objectives to assess annual performance and progress. Weikart’s evaluation team designed, implemented, and analyzed data from multiple sources, including program quality assessments, surveys, and program and school records submitted annually in response to federal requirements.

Evaluation Type: Non-experimental

Summary of Outcomes:

The 2022-2023 evaluation of the Arkansas 21st CCLC programs yielded positive results related to students' life skills development and perceptions of quality and satisfaction with programs. The evaluation also found that students experienced growth in GPA and on their statewide English Language Arts (ELA) and Math assessments; however, the program fell short of 21st CCLC statewide goals for math and ELA proficiency levels for regularly attending students (those attending a program for 100+ hours).  

• Academic skills: Overall, nearly 7 in 10 4-8th grade students demonstrated any growth on math and reading/language arts state assessments (68% and 67%, respectively). For regularly attending students, 26% maintained or improved in the Proficient or Advanced levels on their English Language Arts statewide assessments, and 37% maintained or improved in Proficient or Advanced Levels on Math state assessments, neither meeting the statewide objective of 60%. However, 76% of regularly attending high school students improved their classroom academic performance, measured by GPA growth, exceeding the set objective of 60%. ​Additionally, 95% of students report that they were doing well in school during the 2022-2023 school year.
• Behavior and engagement: Of students with a prior-year attendance rate at or below 90%, 3 in 4 students improved their school-day attendance. Relatedly, 64% of students with prior-year in-school suspensions experienced a decrease in their number of in-school suspensions. Teachers also report that the vast majority (91%) of 1st-5th grade students improved their engagement in learning. 
• Life skills development: 92% of students reported high levels of life skills. For instance, on a 3-point scale, with 1 being “not at all true” and 3 being “very true,” students report that they are able to make friends (2.71), speak up for themselves (2.66) and others (2.57), and ask for help (2.52). One hundred percent of caregivers agree that their children developed life skills. 
• Students' perspectives on program quality and satisfaction: On a 3-point scale, with 1 being “not at all true” and 3 being “very true,” students generally give their programs high marks. Students agree that program staff care about them (2.67), they have adults in the program they can talk to (2.66), and that adults ask for their ideas and opinions on program activities (2.49). Students also report that they get to try new things (2.59), are excited to attend the program (2.61), and like the activities they participate in (2.63). 
• Quality and variety of activities: 100% of sites offered homework help, and 93% provided academic activities tied to literacy and STEM. ​Additionally, 97% of sites engaged families with activities, and 50% of programs scored 3.90 or higher on quality assessments.