Evaluator: Arcaira, E., Brown, T., & Grady, J. Alvarez & Marsal.

Evaluation Methods:

 This evaluation draws on quantitative and qualitative data from the 2023-2024 school year. Evaluators collected a comprehensive set of participant and non-participant records from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, including state test scores, school attendance, disciplinary referrals, and student engagement. In addition, evaluators analyzed survey responses from key stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, and school leaders. This evaluation compares outcomes for 21st CCLC participants with those of non-participants using propensity score matching, identifying statistically significant differences where appropriate.  

Evaluation Type: Quasi-experimental

Summary of Outcomes:

This evaluation of North Dakota’s 21st CCLC programs during the 2023-2024 school year reveals positive outcomes related to participants’ school-day attendance, academic performance, and behavior. Additionally, evaluators find that North Dakota’s 21st CCLC initiative is a valuable asset to the state’s economy, saving millions of dollars annually by supporting working families and increasing economic activity for working parents after school. 

Participants, including Native American and Hispanic participants and those eligible for free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL), showed statistically significant differences in school-day attendance compared with non-participating peers. Overall, the chronic absenteeism rate among participants is significantly lower than that among non-participants (15% vs. 19%). This also holds true when comparing select subgroups. For instance, Hispanic participants are much less likely to be chronically absent than non-participating Hispanic students (18% vs. 26%). Likewise, Native American and FRPL-eligible participants have lower rates of chronic absenteeism than their non-participating counterparts (31% vs. 35% and 24% vs. 28%). 

Participants also demonstrate higher levels of school engagement than their matched non-participants. Results from the Cognia-administered School Engagement Survey find that participants were more likely to score at the highest level of behavioral engagement (e.g, school attendance and participation) than non-participants (61% vs. 58%). 

Overall, there were no statistically significant differences between participating and nonparticipating students on English language arts (39% vs. 39%) and math state assessments (37% vs. 36%). However, in certain high-performing sites, such as Devil’s Lake-Prairie View, Bottineau Elementary, and Valley-Edinburg at Hoople, participants significantly outperformed their matched non-participating peers (53% vs. 43%, 67% vs. 47%, and 69% vs. 38%, respectively). In addition, parents, teachers, and school leaders recognize the program’s educational value. Nine-in-ten teachers agree that their program’s activities were engaging, and nearly 8 in 10 say that programs address students’ academic needs and that activities are closely related to content taught during the school day (79% and 78%, respectively). Nearly 8 in 10 school leaders (78%) say that programs provide sufficient academic rigor. 

North Dakota’s 21st CCLC programs also support positive social and behavioral outcomes for young people. Regarding behavior, More than 5 in 6 school leaders (84%) agree that programs improve students’ social and behavioral outcomes, and 3 in 4 teachers agree that 21st CCLC programs address students' behavioral needs. Young people also recognize the social benefits of participation, with elementary and middle/high school students reporting that their program helped them get along better with their peers (81% and 69%, respectively). Regarding school engagement, 7 in 10 parents agree with the statement, “As a result of this program, my child's attitude toward school has improved.”

Various stakeholders, including parents, teachers, school leaders, and community partners, recognize the value of North Dakota’s 21st CCLC programs in their communities. Ninety-two percent of parents agree that their 21st CCLC program helps them keep their job, and 81% of district leaders strongly agree that the programs are important for their students. Additionally, nearly all school leaders, teachers, and community partners agree that 21st CCLC programs are beneficial to students and families (100%, 96%, and 98%, respectively), with one school leader saying, “The programs and interventions that are provided augment programs done during the day and this service is vital for working families that are struggling to make ends meet. It is a win-win for our community.”

Lastly, this evaluation finds that the benefits of 21st CCLC programs extend beyond children and families. Evaluators estimate that the programs’ economic impact in the state was between $15 million and  $33 million, attributable to child care cost savings and additional economic activity among working families during program hours.