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A Status Report of Statewide Evaluations of the 21st Community Learning Centers Program
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| Presenter(s):
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| Huihua He, Washington State University, huihua_he@wsu.edu
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| Mike Trevisan, Washington State University, trevisan@wsu.edu
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| Abstract:
Federal funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program has grown and remained steady over the last few years. A key feature of the program is that states are expected to evaluate their programs. The purpose of this paper is to review statewide evaluation reports to assess types of evaluation methodologies and frameworks and gauge the extent to which these strategies meet the information needs of policymakers. A search of all state department websites found 11 statewide evaluation reports. Seven evaluations were descriptive in nature while four employed quasi-experimental designs. Surveys, interviews, document reviews and site visits were the most common data collection methodologies. Formative and summative findings were found. Despite differences in evaluation design not well suited for impact statements, reports from most states claimed positive impacts on student academic achievement and youth development. Recommendations for improvement of statewide evaluations with an eye toward defensible evidence are offered.
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The Impact of Attendance in After School Programs on Achievement: Three Years of Findings From Washington State
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| Presenter(s):
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| Huihua He, Washington State University, huihua_he@wsu.edu
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| Michael Trevisan, Washington State University, trevisan@wsu.edu
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| Abstract:
Evidence increasingly shows that participation in out-of-school time programs can have a positive effect on youth development. However, how much participation is necessary to improve outcomes remains unanswered. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the length of participation and achievement as measured by state test scores from 2005 to 2008. Approximately 13,000 attendees of 150 21st Century Community Learning Centers in Washington State participated in the study. Results indicate small but statistically significant positive effects for both reading and mathematics achievement scores due to the intensity of the attendance. One implication of these findings is that there may not be a single participation measure that works for all programs. It is recommended that work continue toward obtaining meaningful attendance data. This will likely include the use of different measures of attendance to help programs better understand the relationships between the attendance patterns and participants' outcomes.
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Evaluating the Supplemental Educational Services (SES) Program in Georgia: A Comprehensive Approach to Assessing Program Quality, Effectiveness and Impact
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| Presenter(s):
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| Scott Pollack, University of Georgia, scottp@uga.edu
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| Sheneka Williams, University of Georgia, smwill@uga.edu
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| Abstract:
Supplemental Educational Services (SES) is part of the federal No Child Left Behind legislation that provides additional academic instruction outside regular school hours for eligible children in Title I schools that have failed to make adequate yearly progress for at least two consecutive years. States are required to evaluate SES provider organizations to determine if they are producing positive results and following program rules. Georgia is one of few states that have taken a comprehensive approach to evaluating SES. Georgia's evaluation analyzes student achievement data (both individually and aggregated by provider), monitors provider compliance with regulations, and assesses stakeholder perceptions of the process. While increased student achievement is the main goal of SES, the program requires cooperation among state and local education personnel, providers, parents and students. This presentation will describe the SES evaluation in Georgia and the decision-making process for retaining or removing organizations from the approved provider list.
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