Outcome and causation

Main outcome

After-School All-Stars program is a comprehensive free after school and summer programs that can have several outcomes. One of these outcomes is that it can contribute to improve students grades at school. For our evaluation, we are going to focus on this outcome because it is the easiest to measure.

Measurement

Outcome: Improved grades at school

We assume that improved grades at school should imply improvement in students overall GPA, proficiency on standardized tests and high graduation rate.

Attribute 1: Student grades by subject area

Measurable definition: Increase in final GPA

Ideal measurement: Final GPA

Feasible measurement: Final GPA

Measurement of program effect: Compare the GPA of students attending the program to the GPA of students who do not attend the program, after the program is implemented and assess the gap between those groups.

Attribute 2: Proficiency on standardized tests

Measurable definition: Good performance on standardized tests.

Ideal measurement: Scores for standardized tests.

Feasible measurement: Scores for standardized tests.

Measurement of program effect: Compare the Scores for standardized tests for students attending the program to the Scores for standardized tests for students in another school district with same characteristics where the program does not exist and where children don’t participate in any kind of after school program.

Attribute 3: Graduation rate

Measurable definition: High graduation rate in area where the program is implemented.

Ideal measurement: Graduation rates.

Feasible measurement: Graduation rates.

Measurement of program effect: Compare the graduation rates in school districts where there is the program to the school districts with same characteristics where the program does not exist and where children don’t participate in any kind of after school program.