Research Library
Advancing Achievement: Findings from an Independent Evaluation of a Major After-school Initiative
Author: Arbreton, A., Sheldon, J., Bradshaw, M., Julie Goldsmith, J., Jucovy, L., Pepper, S.
Publisher: Public/Private Ventures
Publication Date: 2008, Feb.
Summary or Abstract: The James Irvine Foundation launched the eight year Communities Organizing Resources to Advance Learning (CORAL) after-school initiative in 1999 with the goal of helping to improve the academic achievement of children in the lowest-performing schools in the five California cities: Fresno, Long Beach, Pasadena, and San Jose. This report discusses findings from the final two years of the initiative (2004-2006) when literacy was a target of focus and when evaluators wanted to understand the role that quality programming, student participation, and student engagement had on improving academic success. Major findings from the evaluation indicate that positive adult-youth relationships and a strong sense of belonging are factors that strengthen the success of an after-school program and improve academic gains in students. A concluding chapter in the full report presents the main findings of the evaluation and summarizes implications for policy, programs, and research.