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The Evaluation of Enhanced Academic Instruction in After-School Programs

NCEE 2008-4021
June 2008

Research Questions

The primary research question that this evaluation examines is:

  • Does the enhanced after-school instruction improve math or reading proficiency over what students would achieve in regular after-school programs, as measured by test scores?

In addition, the evaluation looks at two secondary questions:

  • What are the impacts of the enhanced after-school instruction for subgroups of students based on their prior academic performance and grade level?
  • Does the enhanced after-school instruction affect other in-school academic behavior outcomes, as measured by reports from regular-school-day teachers of student engagement, behavior, and homework completion?

Subgroup analysis can provide information that might allow for better targeting of the intervention. In particular, the research team hypothesized that the instructional strategies may impact students in the second and third grades (when basic reading and math skills are still being taught during the school day) differently than those in the fourth and fifth grades and that those entering the program with higher levels of achievement in the relevant subject may be impacted differently than those entering with lower preintervention achievement levels because of different educational needs.

The final question is important because the enhanced after-school program could change students’ behavior in several ways. For example, because the regular after-school program focuses on homework help, one hypothesis is that substituting structured instruction for homework help in the after-school setting has a negative effect on homework completion. On the other hand, improved academic performance might help students in completing homework. There are also theories associating students’ behavior in the classroom with their academic performance. One possible hypothesis is that if a student can better understand the academic subject, he or she might be more attentive or less disruptive in class.3 Another competing hypothesis is that lengthening the academic instruction would introduce fatigue and induce students to act out during class.

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3 T. J. Kane, The Impact of After-School Programs: Interpreting the Results of Four Recent Evaluations. William T. Grant Foundation Working Paper. (New York: William T. Grant Foundation, January 16, 2004).