Doctoral Dissertation: After-School Program Attendance and State Assessment Scores for 3rd & 4th Graders in a Hawaii Complex Area

This study of 3rd and 4th grade students in a Hawaii Complex Area during the 2010-2011 school year found that state assessment scores for 3rd graders in Reading had a positive relationship with after-school program attendance at one particular school. Forty-one 3rd graders attended the 21st Century program at this particular school while 35 did not attend any after-school program. Research showed that the average Hawaii State Assessment (HSA) scores for these attending 3rd graders was significantly higher than their non-attending peers. Although this data is not transferrable to larger populations, it does provide additional research on the topic of potential after-school program benefits for schools.