Institute for Social Science Research

Hale County Middle School (HCMS) is a Title 1 school located in rural Alabama with 64% of students receiving free/reduced lunch subsidies. Academically, the school is underperforming relative to state and national norms. Based on 2018-2019 data:

• 14.9% of HCMS students were considered as chronic absentees, missing 15 or more days of school in a year.
• Alabama State assessments of academic performance (Scantron Performance Series Test) indicated that two-thirds of students failed to make proficiency benchmarks in reading.
• State assessments indicated that 71% failed to make proficiency benchmarks in math.

In 2019, based on these data and with the support of parents who expressed a desire for a middle school extended-day and summer program, the Boys and Girls Clubs of West Alabama (BGCWA) in collaboration with Hale County Middle School developed academic enrichment opportunities for HCMS students in the out-of-school-time hours through a joint co-applicant model 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) program.

The purpose of the evaluation of the Hale County Middle School 21st CCLC program is to provide both formative and summative analysis to determine if the program is meeting its goals. Highlights from the 2022 report include:

• Of the students who regularly participated in the program 91% were passing in reading, 88% in math, and 100% in science at the end of the school year.
• • Improvement in math was statistically significant.
• Teachers indicated that students attending the program improved in their social behavior, motivation, academic performance, attention, and class participation.
• Over the 6-week summer program, math achievement scores improved over two full grade levels.