The Impact of Attendance Longevity in an After School Program, Designed to Build Intentional Relationships and Support Academic Success, on Urban Elementary Students' Achievement, Attendance, and School Awards

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of attendance longevity participation in an after school program, attending one and two times or three times weekly for two years, designed to build intentional relationships and support academic success, on urban elementary school students' achievement, attendance, and positive school awards. Independent variable attendance fidelity condition one was those students who attended the Hope Center for Kids after school program regularly scheduled after school activities one and two times weekly for two years (n = 9) and independent variable attendance fidelity condition two was those students who attended the Hope Center for Kids regularly scheduled after school activities three times weekly for two years (n = 10). Same urban school district control students (n = 11) did not participate in the after school program served as the study control group. The null hypothesis for between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average and below average reading scores where F(2, 27) = 2.07, p = .145 was not rejected. Null hypotheses were also not rejected for between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average range language scores where F(2, 27) = 1.09, p = .350 and between group California Achievement Test Normal Curve Equivalent posttest-only average range math scores where F(2, 27) = 0.38, p = .687. School attendance as measured by total end of the fifth-grade year overall absence totals were not statistically different where F(2, 27) = 0.65, p = .530 and school-wide awards and recognition as measured by end of the fifth-grade year overall awards presented totals were also congruent where X ²(2, N = 48) = 0.591, p = .744. Findings suggest that even limited student participation in Hope Center for Kids after school program resulted in achievement, attendance, and earned awards consistent with the study's control group students who were not in need of these after school services.