Impact of the Twenty-First Century afterschool program on student achievement in mathematics and language arts

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the academic impacts of the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers on students who participated in this program. The following research questions guided the study: (a) are there significant differences between the Criterion Reference Competency Test English Language Arts scores of students after they spend a school year in the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers after-school program, (b) are there significant differences between the Criterion Reference Competency Test mathematics scores of students after they spend a school year in the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers after-school program, and (c) does socioeconomic status have an influence on Criterion Reference Competency Test scores? The hypotheses included: (a) seventh graders who participated in the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers after-school program will have significantly better Criterion Reference Competency Test English Language Arts and mathematics scores than those who did not participate, comparing sixth to seventh-grade scores; (b) eighth graders who participated in the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers after-school program will have significantly better Criterion Reference Competency Test English Language Arts and mathematics scores than those who did not participate, comparing seventh to eighth-grade scores; (c) there will be significant differences between high and low socioeconomic students English Language Arts and mathematics scores in the seventh-grade cohort; and (d) there will be significant differences between high and low socioeconomic students English Language Arts and mathematics scores in the eighth-grade cohort. The purposive sample included seventh and eighth-grade students attending this after-school program at the target middle school and non-participant controls. The mathematics and English Language Arts Criterion Reference Competency Test results for the 2008--2009 school year for seventh and eighth-grade students who attended the after-school program were compared. Pre- and post-participation was compared with non-participant controls. Findings from t-tests supported the hypotheses that this program significantly increased mathematics and English Language Arts scores. Findings from a one-way ANOVA did not support the hypotheses that socioeconomic impacts outcomes. Implications of findings are that the program was beneficial to students of all socioeconomic backgrounds and more information is needed to understand effects of specific program components.