Round 5: 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Continued
In the previous round, you were asked about 21st Century Community Learning Centers' impact on academic performance. This round addresses whether their programs had an impact on students' behavior.
Regarding the elementary school students’ behavior, do you think that 21st Century Community Learning Centers had good effect (i.e., decreased behavioral problems), bad effect (i.e., increased behavioral problems), or had no effect?
Regarding the elementary school students’ behavior, do you think that 21st Century Community Learning Centers had good effect (i.e., decreased behavioral problems), bad effect (i.e., increased behavioral problems), or had no effect?
Program Description: “21st Century Community Learning centers is a large ($1 billion per year) U.S. Department of Education program which funds optional after-school programs for elementary and middle school students in mostly high-poverty schools. Key goals of the program are to (1) provide students with a safe place after school, and (2) improve their academic performance. Recipients of program funds (i.e., school districts and/or non-profit educational/community organizations) are required to provide academically-focused “extended learning activities” (e.g., instructional enrichment programs, tutoring, or homework assistance). Most Centers also offer enrichment/recreational activities such as martial arts, sports, dance, art and/or music… [Elementary school] Centers vary in the activities they offer and other key features, and thus comprise a range of after-school interventions rather than a single intervention. In a typical Center:
(1) students may spend an hour doing homework and having a snack, an hour on additional academic activity (e.g., a lesson or working in a computer lab), and an hour doing recreational or cultural activities;
(2) the Center’s staff are a mixture of certified teachers, instructional aides, and representatives of community youth organizations;
(3) the Center is open 4-5 days per week for three hours after school, and serves approximately 85 students per day; and
(4) the average student attends the Center 2-3 days per week.
Centers spend approximately $1,000 (in 2005 dollars) on each enrolled student per year.”
(1) students may spend an hour doing homework and having a snack, an hour on additional academic activity (e.g., a lesson or working in a computer lab), and an hour doing recreational or cultural activities;
(2) the Center’s staff are a mixture of certified teachers, instructional aides, and representatives of community youth organizations;
(3) the Center is open 4-5 days per week for three hours after school, and serves approximately 85 students per day; and
(4) the average student attends the Center 2-3 days per week.
Centers spend approximately $1,000 (in 2005 dollars) on each enrolled student per year.”