Challenging Under-Served Children to Achieve Academic Excellence

Can the Higher Achievement Program improve the academic performance of low-income students? If so, how does it do so? Higher Achievement is a demanding, well-established out-of-school time program that provides participants with intensive academic activities during the school year and over the summer combined with preparation for top high school programs. Using a lottery system, this study will randomly assign more than 1,000 youth in 5th through 8th grades to either participate in Higher Achievement or be referred to other out-of-school-time programs. The researchers will then compare the academic attitudes, performance, and behavior of the two groups using standardized tests, student and teachers surveys, and observation. Processes will be assessed to determine which aspects of academic programs affect youth and how much the program costs compared to other available services.