| 392 | Thursday, April 14, 2005 |
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| 10:15 AM-12:15 PM | Convention Center:E270 |
| Research Consortium |
| After School Education Programming |
| This symposium describes a research project conducted with the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) programs in a southern state. The 21st CCLC program is a nationwide, large-scale after school education program funded by the U.S. Department of Education, which is aimed at providing positive experiences during out of school time for at-risk and minority students with a particular emphasis on closing the achievement gap between these students and their peers. Such experiences include physical activities and recreational opportunities as well as academic components in high-stakes curricular areas such as language arts and mathematics. Specifically, this research project examined the program processes and outcomes among 43 funded programs throughout the state which impacted over 30,000 students. The theoretical frameworks of the CIPP (contextual evaluation, input evaluation, process evaluation, and product evaluation) (Stufflebeam & Shinkfeld, 1985) and the decision-making model (McGee, 1989) were adopted to guide the development and implementation of the research plan. Following a combination of qualitative and quantitative research schemes, the program evaluation criteria were assessed based upon three data sources: (a) document analysis of program proposals, (b) on-site observations/interviews, and (c) written surveys. Qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated to verify the validity of information. There are four sections in this symposium: (a) program content and operation, (b) staff qualifications and development, (c) communication patterns between the after school program and regular day school, and (d) needs identification and program accomplishment. A discussion of the significance of lessons learned relative to educational literature will be provided. |
Keyword(s): alternative programming, community-based programs, youth-at-risk
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| Presider: David S. Fleming, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL |
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Speakers: |
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Program Content and Operation of After School Programs
David S. Fleming and James J. Zhang, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL |
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Program Staffing: A Critical Element for After School Program Quality
Jody Crollick, James J. Zhang and David S. Fleming, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL |
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Effectiveness of Communication Between After School Programs and Regular Day Schools
James J. Zhang and David S. Fleming, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL |
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Needs Identification and Accomplishment in After School Programs
David S. Fleming and James J. Zhang, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL |
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