The Effect of an After-School Academic Enrichment Program on UrbanElementary Student Reading Achievement

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent studentsparticipating in the Aim for Success after-school reading program grow from fall tospring, as measured by the change in the Burns and Roe Informal Reading Inventoryscore (Grades 1-3) or Core Reading Maze Comprehension Test score (Grades 4-6). Thestudy was based in Kansas City, Missouri with a culturally diverse student population,including African Americans, Latinos, and a significant number of recent immigrantsfrom Africa, Asia, and Central America. The results of the data analysis related tostudent reading growth for first- through sixth-grade students attending an after-schoolprogram were mixed. The second-, third-, and fourth grade students did grow fall tospring. The first-, fifth-, and sixth grade students did not grow fall to spring. The thirdand fourth-grade ELL students did grow from fall to spring. The first-, second-, fifth-,and sixth-grade ELL students did not grow fall to spring. The research findings indicateda difference between fourth-grade ELL and non-ELL students, and the non-ELL grewmore. The mean growth for first-, second-, third-, fifth-, and sixth-grade ELL studentswas not different from the mean growth for first-, second-, and third-grade non-ELLstudents. Recommendations for future research include conducting an additionalassessment of the after-school program to ensure that the academic content andenrichment activities are effective for increasing student learning; and conduct aqualitative study to gain the perceptions of the tutors, classroom teachers, and theparticipants’ parents about student learning and other aspects of student achievement.