{"product_id":"2940148835240","title":"When Schools Stay Open Late: The National Evaluation of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program","description":"After-school programs have grown rapidly in recent years, spurred by rising employment\u003cbr\u003erates of mothers, pressure to increase academic achievement, and concerns about risks to\u003cbr\u003echildren who are unsupervised during after-school hours. The percentage of public schools\u003cbr\u003eoffering “extended day” programs (which include before- and after-school programs) more than\u003cbr\u003etripled from 1987 to 1999, from about 13 percent to 47 percent.\u003cbr\u003eThe federal government’s investment in after-school programs has grown rapidly as well.\u003cbr\u003eFunding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, created in 1994, rose from\u003cbr\u003e$40 million in 1998 to $1 billion in 2002. The program now provides funding to 2,250 school\u003cbr\u003edistricts to support school-based programs in 7,000 public schools.\u003cbr\u003eSome studies of after-school programs have found that these programs increase academic\u003cbr\u003eachievement and student safety, as well as reduce negative behaviors such as drug and alcohol\u003cbr\u003euse. However, other studies have found that after-school programs have no effect on—and even\u003cbr\u003eworsen—certain outcomes, leading to debate over whether the evidence supports increased\u003cbr\u003einvestment in after-school programs.\u003cbr\u003eIn 1999, the U.S. Department of Education contracted with Mathematica Policy Research,\u003cbr\u003eInc., and Decision Information Resources, Inc., to evaluate the 21st Century Community\u003cbr\u003eLearning Centers program. The evaluation team collected student outcome data in five areas:\u003cbr\u003eafter-school supervision, location, and activities; academic performance and achievement;\u003cbr\u003ebehavior; personal and social development; and safety. Because the purpose of the 21st Century\u003cbr\u003eCommunity Learning Centers program by law is safe and drug-free learning environments for\u003cbr\u003estudents that support academic achievement, this evaluation focused on student and school\u003cbr\u003eoutcomes. It did not explore the full range of parental needs and satisfaction that might be\u003cbr\u003eaffected by the availability of after-school programs. It did collect parent outcome data on\u003cbr\u003einvolvement in school activities and employment status.","brand":"ReadCycle","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47072740245744,"sku":"2940148835240","price":2.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940148835240_p0.jpg?v=1763708610","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940148835240","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}