Independent Statewide Evaluations of High School After School Programs

This statewide longitudinal evaluation examined the After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) program, California’s high school component of the state’s 21^st Century Community Learning Center (21^st CCLC) program. The ASSETs program provides academically enriching activities for high school students after school and helps students pass the California High School Exit Examination (CAHSEE). Results from this evaluation, based on standardized test scores, student surveys, teacher surveys and administrative data, suggest that students participating in the program improved their academic performance, attendance, behavior and physical fitness.

Statewide Program Evaluation of 21st CCLC Grants: Oregon Department of Education

A statewide evaluation of Oregon's 21^st Century Community Learning Center (21^st CCLC) programs during the 2010-2011 school year examined academic and behavioral outcomes associated with regular participation in the program. The evaluation found statistically significant positive impacts in math achievement and disciplinary incidents among students who regularly participated in the programs—students who participated in the program at least 30 days. Additionally, examining the organizational practices of Oregon's 21^st CCLCs, evaluators found that programs were well-managed and provided a positive climate for students, that staff engaged in positive interactions with students, and that staff "demonstrated mid- to high-range skills in behavioral management—mostly utilizing proactive, positive, and effective behavior management strategies."

Supporting Student Success in Middle Schools: Examining the Relationship between Elementary Afterschool Program Participation and Subsequent Middle School Attainments

An analysis of 20,000 Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) middle school students who were enrolled in schools that offered the Los Angeles’ Better Educated Students for Tomorrow (LA’s BEST) program, comparing students who participated in LA’s BEST in elementary school to students who did not participate. Based on the results of this quasi-experimental study, the more a student participated in LA’s BEST, the better their academic outcomes were in middle school. At 50 days, gains were shown in general math; at 80 days, gains were shown in algebra, science, and history; at 140 days gains were shown in language arts.

21st Century Community Learning Centers Administered by Coordinated Child Care of Pinellas, Inc.: Summative Evaluation Report of the School-Based Program, Year 2

A report on the performance data for the 21st Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program operated by Coordinated Child Care of Pinellas, Inc. under two grants from the Florida Department of Education. Program participants at all three middle schools sites were more likely to meet or exceed grade-level standards on the math, English language arts, and science Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) than students in the middle schools overall. Additionally, the report looked at the program’s impact on health and physical fitness, finding that an overwhelming majority of students participating in the program maintained a healthy Body Mass Index (BMI) or showed improvement in their BMI scores throughout the academic year, as well as were able to successfully identify the healthier foods.

The Beacon Community Centers Middle School Initiative: Report on Implementation and Youth Experience in the Initiative’s Second Year

A study of middle school participants in New York City’s Beacon Initiative, which served 21,000 middle schoolers during the 2008-2009 academic year. Student survey responses indicated that the Beacon program supported students academically by improving their homework completion, grades, reading comprehension, and math performance. Students participating in the program also overwhelmingly agreed that they felt safe and that they belonged at the Beacon Center, and that the program taught them how to help others. Students also reported that they felt it was important to be involved in their community.

High Quality Supplemental Educational Services (HQSES) and Afterschool Partnerships Demonstration Project

An external analysis of student test scores, attendance and assessment records in 39 THINK Together afterschool sites in the Santa Ana Unified School District. The evaluation found that participating in the program had a positive impact on students’ math and reading skills, as measured through THINK Together assessments, as well as on students’ perceived math efficacy. It also found that frequent participation in the program had a positive effect on academics, where those students with higher levels of participation in the program saw greater gains on their California Standardized Test (CST) scores in reading and math and their California English Language Development Test (CELDT) scores compared to students who did not participate in the program.

Citizen Schools: Achieving High School Graduation: Citizen Schools’ Youth Outcomes in Boston

This comprises the final analysis of an eight-year evaluation of the academic outcomes in high school of former 8th grade participants in the Boston-based Citizen Schools. The study found a number of positive academic outcomes associated with participation in Citizen Schools, as well as positive school day attendance findings. Former Citizen Schools participants were more likely to pass their math and English language arts (ELA) courses, as well as more likely to earn a proficient or advanced rating on their math and ELA Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) tests than their non-participating peers. Former participants were also more likely to attend school more often and have a higher rate of on-time graduation than non-participants.

A Meta-Analysis of After-School Programs That Seek to Promote Personal and Social Skills in Children and Adolescents

A meta-analysis by the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) that examined 75 studies of 68 afterschool programs. The meta-analysis evaluated the impact of afterschool programs on participants’ personal and social skills, as well as academic achievement. A key finding of the evaluation is the positive impact high-quality afterschool programs have on students, where students showed improved behavior and performed better academically than students who did not participate in a program.

Project Exploration 10-Year Retrospective Program Evaluation: Summative Report

A 10-year retrospective study of the impact of Project Exploration, which has been providing personalized out-of-school time science programs to traditionally under-served middle and high school youth attending Chicago Public Schools since 1999. The study, which surveyed 30 percent of the 259 alumni in their database over the age of 18, found that participants in the program were performing well academically, with 95 percent of Project Exploration participants graduating from high school or on track to graduate, nearly double the overall rate of Chicago Public Schools. The study also found an increased interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields among Project Exploration alumni surveyed.

Making Every Day Count: Boys & Girls Clubs’ Role in Promoting Positive Outcomes for Teens

A 30-month longitudinal evaluation of 322 Boys & Girls Club members from 10 Clubs across the country, beginning in seventh and eighth grade. Student survey responses indicated that participants who attended the program more often had increased academic confidence, community service involvement, integrity, and academic confidence, and decreased school absence rates, aggression,and police interactions.