Analyzes the impact of 4 after-school program evaluations on the academic achievement of the students participating in the programs. The programs evaluated are: 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC), the After-School Corporation (TASC), Extended-Service Schools Initiative (ESS), and San Francisco Beacons Initiative (SFBI). Significant findings include: (1) drop-in centers reported sporadic attendance resulting in modest impact in performance improvement; (2) the 21st CCLC failed to determine the impact of non-participating students; (3) no significant impact was seen on achievement test scores in any of the programs; and (4) the programs suggest improvement in parental involvement, student engagement, and commitment to homework. Each program is described briefly and includes information on costs and participation rates with additional tabular information provided at the end of the report. The evaluation design used to assess the 4 programs is outlined and provides information on response rates, data collection challenges, and specific criticisms of the 21st CCLC evaluation. The impact of the evaluations discusses juvenile crime rates, school attendance issues, grade point averages, homework completion rates, and the level of parental participation. Another evaluation using the Stanford 9 test and the kindergarten cut-off age is discussed.
