The Impact of the 21st-Century Afterschool Program on Students’ Behavior and Social Skills

• In Event: Social and Emotional Learning of Diverse Youth

Abstract

This study examines classroom teachers’ perceptions of the impact of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) afterschool program on student behavior and social skills in 10 Texas K–12 schools during 2022–2023. The Nurturing Environment and Developmental theories were used to explore how supportive afterschool programs contribute to behavioral improvement compared to traditional exclusionary discipline actions. Using a quantitative survey design, 436 responses were collected from 444 K-12 teachers in the Harris County area. A multiple step analysis (crosstabulations, chi-Square tests, and Pearson’s correlations) were used to analyze grade-level differences among academic performance, behavior, and social skills. Findings indicate that high school and elementary teachers reported improvements in student behavior and social skills, contrary to middle school teachers.

Authors

• Akua Anyei Obeng, Harris County Department of Education

• Yolanda Pyrtle, Harris County Department of Education

• Likita Durden-Holmes, Harris County Department of Education