A study of Connecticut’s state-funded after-school programs (ASPs) found that students who attended such programs regularly for more than one year had higher reading, math, and writing proficiency rates on state mastery tests than students who did not attend. In each subject, the study found a statistically significant difference in performance of ASP students over that of students from the same district who did not participate in the programs. ASP students also had better school attendance and fewer behavior problems in school than students who did not attend the programs.
The study, by the University of Connecticut’s Center for Applied Research in Human Development, looked at 40 after-school programs funded by the state’s After School Program grant in 2010. The programs offered academic, enrichment, recreation, and wellness activities to 4,717 students at 60 sites in 26 school districts statewide.
