Overview of the Interventions
The two interventions being tested in this evaluation involve providing 45 minutes of
formal academic instruction during after-school programs to students who need help meeting
local academic standards. The model includes the use of research-based instructional material
and teaching methods that were especially designed to work in a voluntary after-school setting.
Two curriculum developers — Harcourt School Publishers and Success for All — were selected
through a competitive process to adapt their school-day materials to develop a math
model and a reading model, respectively. The developers were asked to create material that is
engaging for students, challenging and tied to academic standards, appropriate for students from
diverse economic and social backgrounds, and relatively easy for teachers to use with a small
amount of preparation time.
- Harcourt School Publisher's adapted and expanded its existing school-day
materials to develop Harcourt Mathletics, in which students progress through
material at their own rate, with pretests at the beginning of each topic to
guide lesson planning and posttests to assess mastery or the need for supplemental
instruction. The model also includes games to build math fluency;
hands-on activities; projects; and computer activities for guided instruction,
practice, or enrichment.
- Success for All Foundation (SFA) adapted its existing school-day reading
programs to create Adventure Island, a structured reading model with daily
lessons that involve switching quickly from one teacher-led activity to the
next. It includes the key components of effective reading instruction identified
by the National Reading Panel and builds cooperative learning into its
daily classroom routines, which also include reading a variety of selected
books and frequent assessments built into lessons to monitor progress.
As part of the intervention, these models were also supported by implementation strategies
related to staffing, training and technical assistance, and attendance that were managed and
supported by Bloom Associates, Inc.
- Sites hired certified teachers and operated the enhanced programs with the
intended small groups of students, approximately 10 students per instructor.
- Instructors received upfront training, multiple on-site technical assistance visits,
continued support by locally based staff, and daily paid preparation time.
- Efforts were made to support student attendance through close monitoring of attendance; follow-up with parents and students when absences occur, to encourage attendance and address issues preventing attendance; and attendance incentives to encourage and reward good attendance.