A project of the Afterschool Alliance.

New Mexico 21st Century Community Learning Centers FY2019 Evaluation Report

Year Published: 2019

A 2019 evaluation of New Mexico’s 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) programs by the New Mexico Public Education Department found that the programs had a positive impact on students’ academic achievement. Among the students in the programs, 29 percent raised their grade by a full letter grade by the end of the school year and 49 percent of students who earned below a passing grade raised their grade by the end of the year. Additionally, 66 percent of students who earned a passing grade in the first grading period maintained their grade throughout the year. There was a high level of satisfaction of New Mexico’s 21st CCLC programs, where, 95 percent of students, family, and staff surveyed agreed that the program was of high quality. 

Program Name: New Mexico 21st Century Community Learning Centers

Program Description:

New Mexico’s 21st Century Community Learning Center program, which receives federal funding through the 21st CCLC initiative, provides afterschool and summer academic enrichment opportunities for children at high-poverty and low-performing schools throughout the state. In FY2019, 93 learning centers offered programming to 10,426 students. 

Scope of the Evaluation: Statewide

Program Type: Afterschool

Location: New Mexico

Grade level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Program Demographics:

In FY2019, 89 percent of students were eligible for Free or Reduced Price Lunch, 19 percent were identified limited English proficient, 9 percent were identified as having a special need or a disability, and 2 percent were classified as homeless. Regarding ethnicity, 76 percent of students identified as Hispanic and 20 percent identified as non-Hispanic. Regarding race, 59 percent of students identified as white; 7 percent identified as American Indian or Alaska Native; 2 percent identified as Black or African American; 2 percent identified as multiracial; 2 percent identified as Asian or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander; and 23 percent were classified as “some other race.”

Program Website: http://webnew.ped.state.nm.us/bureaus/safe-healthy-schools/21st-century-learning-communities/

Evaluator: 21st CCLC Program SEA Team

Evaluation Methods:

This evaluation uses data collected from school day teacher surveys on regular 21st CCLC program attendees’ progress in homework completion, class participation, and behavior. For measuring academic achievement, grades and test scores are entered by school day teachers into EZReports each quarter. Online surveys of staff, students, and family members were also administered to collect data on program satisfaction.

Evaluation Type: Non-experimental

Summary of Outcomes:

The 2019 evaluation of New Mexico’s 21st Century Community Learning Center program found that students regularly attending programs (30 days or more) benefited academically. For example, in FY2019, 66 percent of students who earned a passing grade after the first grading period maintained their passing grade by the end of the year, and nearly half of students who earned below a passing grade in the first grading period raised their grade by the end of the year (49 percent). Additionally, 29 percent of students raised their grade by a full grade letter by the end of the school year.

Finally, the evaluation found that students and their families were satisfied with programs in New Mexico. In both FY2018 and FY2019, 95 percent of all survey participants—which included program participants, their families, and program staff—agreed or strongly agreed that 21st CCLC programming was high quality. 

Date Added: June 30, 2021