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Alaska 21st Century Community Learning Centers Statewide Evaluation Report: Fiscal Year 2018
Year Published: 2019
A 2019 evaluation by Education Northwest of Alaska’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) afterschool programs found that students who participated more regularly in programs saw greater academic and behavioral gains. Teachers surveyed reported that an overwhelming majority of students attending the program for at least 60 days saw improvements in their academic performance (72 percent), participation in class (71 percent), and ability to persevere through challenges (66 percent), as well as their ability to form positive relationships with adults (70 percent) and work collaboratively with peers (68 percent).
Program Name: Alaska 21st Century Community Learning Centers
Program Description:
Alaska’s 21st Century Community Learning Center program, which receives federal funding through the 21st CCLC Initiative, provides academic enrichment opportunities for children at high-poverty and low-performing schools. During the 2017-18 program year, grantees operated 37 centers across the state, serving 4,262 students, and collaborating with 398 partners.
Scope of the Evaluation: Statewide
Program Type: Afterschool
Location: Alaska
Grade level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Demographics:
During the 2017-18 program year, 60 percent of students were eligible for Free or Reduced Price Lunch, 15 percent were identified to have limited English proficiency, and 18 percent were identified to have special needs. These numbers are higher than the state average. Regarding race and ethnicity, 33 percent of participants identified as white; 27 percent identified as American Indian or Alaska Native; 16 percent identified as two or more races; 7 percent identified as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; 6 percent identified as Black or African American; 5 percent identified as Hispanic or Latino; and 5 percent identified as Asian.
Program Website: https://education.alaska.gov/21cclc
Evaluator: Petrokubi, J., Holmgren, M., Aylward, A., & Taylor, S. Education Northwest.
Evaluation Methods:
This evaluation uses multiple data sources to assess the Alaska 21st CCLC program during the 2017-18 school year, including local evaluation reports, 21APR reports, teacher survey results, and operations data. Operations data included participant characteristics, enrollment, activities offered, and staffing.
Evaluation Type: Non-experimental
Summary of Outcomes:
A statewide evaluation of Alaska’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers found that students who regularly participated in programs (30 days or more) saw academic, behavioral, and social and emotional gains. Based on teacher surveys, 7 in 10 regular attendees improved their academic performance (70 percent) and class participation (69 percent), and 6 in 10 improved their homework completion. More than half of regularly attending students also improved their classroom behavior (55 percent).
Teaches reported gains in social and emotional skills and behaviors as well, with 69 percent of regular attendees improving their positive relationships with adults, 67 percent improving collaboration skills, 64 percent improving their perseverance through challenges, and 62 percent improving their relationships with their peers.
Student performance results were also broken out by grade level, with teachers reporting that, compared to other grade levels, middle school students were more likely to improve their academic performance (80 percent), expressing their needs and feelings (73 percent), and working collaboratively (71 percent). Elementary students were more likely to improve their classroom behavior (70 percent) and preserving through challenges (70 percent). High school students were more likely to improve their homework completion (66 percent) and forming positive relationships with adults (69 percent).
Moreover, the report found that students who participated in the program at high levels (60 days or more) saw even greater gains. For instance, students who regularly participated in programs for 60 days or more saw improvements in their academic performance (72 percent), participation in class (71 percent), and ability to persevere through challenges (66 percent), as well as their ability to form positive relationships with adults (70 percent) and work collaboratively with peers (68 percent).
Finally, teachers reported that there was improvements in family engagement among 44 percent of regularly attending students. Increased family engagement was greatest for middle (59 percent) and high school students (58 percent).
Date Added: June 14, 2021
