The Effectiveness of Pomona The Effectiveness of Pomona Hope Kids! After School ProgramHope Kids! After School Program

Liz CowanLiz CowanIS 373IS 373

May 10, 2010May 10, 2010

Pomona Hope Mission Pomona Hope Mission StatementStatement

The mission of Pomona Hope is The mission of Pomona Hope is to bring hope, peace, and well to bring hope, peace, and well being to the city through being to the city through engaging in community engaging in community organizing, serving the people organizing, serving the people by providing educational by providing educational opportunities, and working for opportunities, and working for neighborhood transformation. neighborhood transformation.

My Research ProblemMy Research Problem

Is the Pomona Hope Kids! After Is the Pomona Hope Kids! After School Program worth the time of its School Program worth the time of its volunteers and the money of its volunteers and the money of its donors?donors?

In other words, is the program In other words, is the program working to improve the knowledge working to improve the knowledge and grades of the children, or are and grades of the children, or are they learning just as much or less they learning just as much or less than they would be without attending than they would be without attending the program?the program?

Research QuestionsResearch Questions

Are kids in the program more likely to Are kids in the program more likely to improve than those outside of it?improve than those outside of it? What are possible improvements to the What are possible improvements to the

program?program? Should schools with no students in the Should schools with no students in the

program find a way to get students who program find a way to get students who need extra help into the program?need extra help into the program?

Are there other reasons students from any Are there other reasons students from any schools may not be attending? (i.e. high schools may not be attending? (i.e. high crime rates)crime rates)

Should similar programs be invested in Should similar programs be invested in throughout the city?throughout the city?

Research Data SetsResearch Data Sets Base map showing Pomona Hope Base map showing Pomona Hope

Community Center and those schools Community Center and those schools attended by program students as well as attended by program students as well as elementary schools in the district in elementary schools in the district in adjacent census tracts. (Pomona, CA)adjacent census tracts. (Pomona, CA)

Test Score and grade improvements of Test Score and grade improvements of program students from the 2008-09 school program students from the 2008-09 school year. (provided by Pomona Hope Kids! year. (provided by Pomona Hope Kids! program)program)

School Accountability Report Cards for School Accountability Report Cards for schools in Pomona Unified School District. schools in Pomona Unified School District. (provided by PUSD)(provided by PUSD)

Crime rates in Pomona neighborhoods with Crime rates in Pomona neighborhoods with Community Center and schools. (Real Community Center and schools. (Real Estate Data)Estate Data)

Which schools participate in the program?Which schools participate in the program?

Number of StudentsFrom Program

In Each School

n 0

n 1

n 2 - 3

n 4

n 9

How many Pomona Hope students relative to How many Pomona Hope students relative to the school’s population (08-09 school year)?the school’s population (08-09 school year)?

! 0.362 - 0.758

! 0.130 - 0.361

! 0.001 - 0.129

! 0.000

Pomona Hope Students

made up of

Percent of School

! 0.758 - 1.86

English Language Score Improvements by English Language Score Improvements by SchoolSchool

Percent Change in

ELA Test Scores

Between 07-08 and 08-09

n -2

n 3

n 4

n 5

n 7

Math Score Improvements by SchoolMath Score Improvements by School

Percent Change in

Math Test Scores

Between 07-08 and 08-09

n -4

n -3

n -1

n 3

n 10

n -5

PH Students’ English Language Score PH Students’ English Language Score Improvement by SchoolImprovement by School

Individual Student ELA

Improvement by School

School Year 08-09

n -5 to 0

n 0 to 30

n 30 and up

PH Students’ Math Score Improvement by SchoolPH Students’ Math Score Improvement by School

Individual Student Math

Improvement by School

School Year 08-09

n 0 to10

n 11 to 35

n 36 to 65

Are there other reasons students from any Are there other reasons students from any schools may not be attending?schools may not be attending?

Neighborhood Crime Rates

Lowest to Highest Safety

Scale:0-100

0-9

10 - 19

20 - 29

30 - 39

40 - 49

50 - 59

60 and up

Average Student vs. Average Student vs. School-wide ChangesSchool-wide Changes

(Percentages)(Percentages)

School Name

PH Student Avg ELA Change

PH Student Avg MathChange

School-wideELA

Change

School-wideMath

Change

San Antonio Elementary 17.8 24.7 -2 -5

Lincoln Elementary 28 35 3 -4

Emerson Junior High -5 10.3 3 -3

Vejar Elementary 34 65 -2 -3

Totals 74.8 135 2 -15

Average Improvements 18.7 33.75 0.5 -3.75

ResultsResults

Pomona Hope Kids! students attend 4 of Pomona Hope Kids! students attend 4 of the academically poorest schools in the the academically poorest schools in the district.district.

With the exception of Junior High level With the exception of Junior High level ELA, all other Pomona Hope Kids! students ELA, all other Pomona Hope Kids! students improved improved dramaticallydramatically beyond that of their beyond that of their school.school.

Most of the students attending Pomona Most of the students attending Pomona Hope Kids! come from the 3 closest Hope Kids! come from the 3 closest schools to the Center.schools to the Center.

Pomona Hope Community Center is in the Pomona Hope Community Center is in the second most dangerous area of the city, second most dangerous area of the city, which is possibly impeding attendance of which is possibly impeding attendance of students in “safer” areas.students in “safer” areas.

ConclusionsConclusions To see further improvement in PUSD schools, To see further improvement in PUSD schools,

either the Pomona Hope Kids! After School either the Pomona Hope Kids! After School Program should expand or similar programs Program should expand or similar programs should be invested in throughout the city.should be invested in throughout the city.

Students from other nearby schools, such as Students from other nearby schools, such as Washington Elementary, should consider Washington Elementary, should consider attending Pomona Hope Kids! After School attending Pomona Hope Kids! After School Program to improve test scores and grades.Program to improve test scores and grades.

Program needs improvement in Junior High Program needs improvement in Junior High ELA tutoring.ELA tutoring.

PH should consider alternatives for students PH should consider alternatives for students unwilling to cross through high crime areas to unwilling to cross through high crime areas to attend the program (i.e. bus transportation).attend the program (i.e. bus transportation).

Community Organizing segment of Center Community Organizing segment of Center has plenty of work to do in Crime Prevention has plenty of work to do in Crime Prevention in the neighborhoods surrounding the Center.in the neighborhoods surrounding the Center.

The Pomona Hope Kids! After School The Pomona Hope Kids! After School Program is worth both the money of its Program is worth both the money of its donors and the time of its volunteers in donors and the time of its volunteers in

its efforts to improve education in its efforts to improve education in Pomona, CA!Pomona, CA!