After-School Programs

A new study shows that middle school students enrolled in a citywide after-school program in Providence, R.I., had better school attendance records than peers who did not participate.

The study found school absences among 7th graders enrolled in the AfterZone program for two years were 25 percent lower than for nonparticipating peers. After two years in the program, students’ math scores improved by about one-third of a grade. Students also developed better social skills after one year of participation.

Public/Private Ventures, a nonprofit research group, conducted the study of 763 students in six Providence middle schools.