Reading & Other Learning Disabilities

I shudder to think what will happen to the poorer children in one of New Jersey’s afterschool programs I evaluated a few weeks ago. I shudder to think what will happen to their families Why? Today’s headline read: N.J. affordable afterschool centers are threatened by Gov. Christie’s budget cuts (retrieved 2/17/2010, from http://www.nj.com/education/).

From everything I saw and read about this program, it was excellent. One of the best educational programs I’ve seen in decades of evaluating programs. The children were enthusiastic about the program, they were focused, they were engaged, they were doing their homework, they were getting homework help, they were reading, they were writing, they were developing language, they were developing social skills, they were learning teamwork, they were exercising, and they were safe—they were off the streets and they were taught and supervised by caring, knowledgeable, skilled adults, adults who were attuned to the children and who motivated them to do well. This will help them immensely in school.

The Research

But is it only the afterschool program I evaluated that benefits children, or do they generally benefit from afterschool programs? Here’s a summary of the research supported by the Met Life Foundation:

In recent years, study after study has demonstrated that afterschool programs make a real difference for children, families and communities. The 6.5 million children who are benefiting from these programs offer powerful evidence of their value…. Right now, more than 14 million children are unsupervised after the school day ends. Our nation needs to expand afterschool programming so it is available to every child who needs it.

Afterschool fosters success in schools. Afterschool programs use both traditional and innovative enrichment techniques to support student learning. Studies show that regular participation in high-quality afterschool programs is linked to significant gains in standardized test scores, as well as improved work habits, social skills and overall behavior.

Afterschool programs positively impact youth in key areas. Studies show that afterschool programs produce multiple benefits to youth’s personal, social, and academic life. Youth who participate in afterschool improve in key areas that foster student success in school including social and emotional development and avoidance of risky behaviors.

Afterschool programs provide children and youth not only with academic support, but a safe, nurturing environment that can help bolster social and emotional development, critical to academic success. Further, afterschool offers students vital enrichment activities that they might not otherwise have access to, such as art, music, world cultures and sports that can motivate and engage them during the regular school day, leading to improved academic performance and success…. When students feel connected, supported and safe, they are more likely to make healthy choices for themselves, including avoiding risky behaviors and staying in school.

And here’s what Dr. Beth M. Miller, Director of Research & Evaluation for the highly-respected Nellie Mae Foundation, concluded from her review of the research:

Because young people spend only 20% of their time in school, how and where they spend the remaining 80% has profound implications for their well-being and their future. Quality afterschool programs provide engaging learning activities in a safe and supportive environment. These programs can meet students’ needs for personal attention from adults, inclusion in positive peer groups, and enjoyable experiential activities that build self-esteem. Afterschool programs are also uniquely positioned to encourage a more supportive bridge between home and school.

Afterschool programs keep young people safe and out of trouble, but they can do much more. Participants in good afterschool programs develop interests and skills that stay with them throughout their lives. Many studies conducted over the past two decades point to the links between afterschool program participation and educational success, including … improved behavior in school; increased competence and sense of oneself as a learner; better work habits; fewer absences from school; higher educational aspirations and improved attitudes toward school; better emotional adjustment and relationships with parents; greater sense of belonging in the community; better use of time …. Improved homework completion and quality, improved grades, higher scores on achievement tests, and reductions in grade retention.

The Costs

After school programs are inexpensive. Again, inexpensive. Yet they can save districts tens of millions of dollars. Just think of how much money districts can save by not retaining children in grade. Every child retained costs districts between ten and 15 thousand dollars. On average, five percent of children are retained each year, with more retained in poorer districts. In a mythical elementary school district of 5000 students, with a five percent retention rate, the district would retain 250 students yearly. At the low end of the cost range, $10,000 per student to repeat a grade, this would cost the district an extra $2,500,000. If an after school program that cost $150,000 reduced the retention rate to three percent, the district would save $1,000,000, minus the cost of the program, or $850,000. The research strongly suggests that such reductions are likely.

The cumulative research on strengthening children’s reading, writing, confidence, motivation, self-concept, and social skills suggests that afterschool programs—programs that support these abilities—would save untold millions of dollars in remedial and special education costs. Or, as Ben Franklin said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

The research also shows that delinquent youth—youth who commit crimes—generally have histories of academic difficulties, one of the areas that afterschool programs strengthen. Here one reason it’s so important to use afterschool programs to strengthen academics:

A [statistical analysis of the research] investigated the relation between academic deficits and youth delinquency; [it] found that low school achievement predicts delinquency. These researchers suggested that academic problems often foster behavior problems, which can lead to subsequent delinquency…. Youths with poor academic skills are disproportionately found in the criminal justice system…. Nelson … asserted that the juvenile justice system seems to have become the default system for youths who have difficulty reading, writing, or relating to others. (Christle & Yell, 2008, p. 156)

The researchers asserted that often communities might prevent delinquency:

Because many of the predictors for delinquency can be changed, they offer favorable targets for successful intervention. For example, disrupting early patterns of antisocial behavior and negative peer support may prevent later occurrences of delinquent behavior…. Examples of community initiatives that foster and support youths by offering meaningful participation include recreational opportunities, volunteer activities, and well-organized afterschool programs. (Christle & Yell, 2008, p. 157)

The cost of prosecuting and imprisoning just a few youth can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, far more than the cost of running an afterschool program for hundreds of children. Over a lifetime of crime, just five youth who become adult criminals will cost society far more than the five-year cost of running an afterschool program for hundreds of children. And the emotional and physical cost to the people they hurt: incalculable.

The Parents

Finally, poor parents. If the afterschool programs are shuttered, how will they protect their children? Will they have to quit their jobs? If so, what will this do to the emotional and economic well being of the family? How will this help society, especially when afterschool programs are so inexpensive, so cheap to run? Unfortunately, the answers are clear, and they’re not good.

The Bottom Line: Save Money, Improve Lives

Socially, emotionally, and economically, cutting or eliminating afterschool programs is extraordinarily costly. If New Jersey truly wants to save money and improve the lives of its children and their families, it should dramatically increase its investment in afterschool programs.

References

Christle, C.A., & Yell, M. L. (2008). Preventing Youth Incarceration Through Reading Remediation: Issues and Solutions. Reading & Writing Quarterly Overcoming Learning Difficulties, 24(2), 148-176.

MetLife Foundation and the AfterSchool Alliance (May 2008). Afterschool Innovations In Brief. Retrieved 2/17/2010, from www.afterschoolalliance.org.

Miller, B (Nellie Mae Educational Foundation; 2003). Afterschool Programs and Educational Success. Retrieved 2/17/10 from http://www.nmefdn.org/Research/index.aspx.

Howard Margolis © Reading2008 & Beyond    http://www.reading2008.com/blog