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A quasi-experimental study examining high school students participating in EduCare Foundation’s ACE program found higher academic achievement—as measured by the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) in English language arts (ELA) and math—among ACE participants compared to matched peers attending general afterschool programs. For example, the mean CAASPP ELA score of high school students participating in the ACE program was 35.7 points higher than the matched control group; a statistically significant difference with a moderate to large effect size. When looking at CAASPP mean math scores, ACE participants scored 30.9 points higher than their matched peers, a statistically significant difference with a moderate effect size.
This non-experimental evaluation focused on pre- and post-program survey results distributed to girls enrolled in Girlstart After School and Summer Camp programs throughout Texas. The study evaluated whether program participants showed an increase in confidence, ability, and desire to pursue and accomplish STEM related opportunities and future careers. The survey results for Girlstart’s After School program met or exceeded all goals set by the program prior to the post-program survey, showing a majority of girls interested in STEM, pursuing STEM careers, and feeling more confident in their abilities to complete STEM related tasks. Summer Camp evaluation results showed a similar pattern, however, results were not compared to pre-survey goals.
East End House uses a holistic approach to promote the well-being, academic achievement, and lifelong success of youth from under-resourced families. STEM is embedded into its elementary and middle school afterschool program, with the goal to increase excitement and confidence in STEM learning, as well as introduce youth to STEM careers. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2013-2014 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
EVOLUTIONS (Evoking Learning and Understanding Through Investigations of the Natural Sciences) is a multi-year afterschool program for high school students at the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2014-2015 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
Save The Bay's mission is to protect and improve the Narragansett Bay, and its afterschool program, Explore The Bay, is one of its education initiatives designed to create young environmental stewards. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2013-2014 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
Science Club is a partnership between Northwestern University and the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago, utilizing long-term mentoring relationships to engage low-income urban youth in science. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2013-2014 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
Girlstart After School is a free, weekly STEM afterschool program designed as an intensive intervention to increase girls’ interest and engagement in STEM through sequential, informal, hands-on and inquiry-based activities in topics across the STEM acronym. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2015-2016 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
Project GUTS (Growing Up Thinking Scientifically) is an afterschool program in which middle school students design, create and test computer models to simulate “what if” scenarios for real-world questions of community and societal concern. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2010-2011 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
Science Action Club is an afterschool program for middle school youth at the California Academy of Sciences where students explore the local environment and document their discoveries to better understand and protect our planet. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2014-2015 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
Science Minors Clubs is an outreach initiative of the Museum of Science and Industry aimed at increasing interest in science in underserved neighborhoods by engaging students in places where they already spend their time after school, such as community-based organizations and schools. In this selection of evaluation data from the 2013-2014 school year, participants demonstrated gains along three major categories of youth outcomes—interest in STEM, capacity to engage in STEM, and finding value in STEM.
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The Afterschool Impacts Database is a project of the Afterschool Alliance.
The Afterschool Alliance is a nonprofit public awareness and advocacy organization working to ensure that all children and youth have access to quality afterschool programs.
Afterschool Impacts Database