Best practices for an academic after-school program: a case study on student achievement in one Southern California interdisciplinary middle school

This research study examined an interdisciplinary middle school in Southern California to determine the best practices employed for use with their academic based after-school program. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the best practices of an academic based after-school program and student achievement in the middle years. This was accomplished in order to determine the effectiveness of specific instructional models and researched best practices utilized during after-school instruction in an interdisciplinary middle school in Southern California. Research was conducted through statistical analysis of data from students enrolled in the after-school program as well as through qualitative surveys responded to by the staff of the sample after-school program. Results showed positive growth of students enrolled in the after-school program as compared to a control group of students who attended the same school, but were not enrolled in the after-school program. Results were also analyzed and compared against a larger population of similar schools and student groups throughout Riverside County, California. Keywords: Best practices, Academic based After-school Program