Provides background on the San Francisco Beacon Initiative, summarizes findings of a 36-month evaluation of 5 Beacon school-based centers in low-income neighborhoods, and discusses implications for after-school programs. The Beacon leaders set about establishing visible, accessible, safe, and welcoming centers with strong staffing and active participation on the part of young people. Over the long term, they predicted that the youth would be more competent in activities that were part of the core program – education, career development, arts and recreation, leadership, and health. While youth had positive experiences in the centers, and the centers seemed to protect against declines in school effort and self-confidence, these successes did not translate into better grades, test scores, or school attendance. The evaluation demonstrates that providing a rich and diverse array of activities that attract and engage youth may not produce the academic results that more structured, focused programs can achieve. Some practitioners question whether helping students perform well on tests, for example, should be the central mission of after-school initiatives. It is possible that by protecting young people from typical declines in school effort and self-confidence, the Beacon centers may help move youth in the right direction for improved academic performance.
