GRANT DESCRIPTION

To support the efforts of Perkins Activities Central (PAC) program at Perkins Middle School to provide students with positive activities during out-of-school time. In a 2002 survey of Akron residents sponsored by Knight Foundation, some 63 percent identified positive programs for youth as a significant community need. In 2004, the Knight Foundation provided PAC with a $1.25m grant to support youth programs.

Key Questions

• What was the value of both frequency of attendance and sustained attendance in PAC’s after-school, weekend and vacation programs over two years?

• What effect did PAC attendance in 2004-05 and 2005-06 have on seventh and eighth graders’ Scranton scores in reading and math and their average OAT reading and math scores during the 2005-06 school year?

• How was attendance and behavior affected by the PAC program?

Approach: The evaluation reviewed attendance data and used Scantron reading and math testing to gather information on achievement indicators for Perkins students.

Assessment Partner: Deborah Shama-Davis, Kent State University.

PROJECT FINDINGS:

• Students who attended PAC programs frequently over a two-year period had higher reading and math scores and pass rates, and better attendance rates.

• These positive results were most notable for seventh graders, indicating the benefits of access to PAC early in middle school.