Each year, thousands of students in Arkansas benefit from afterschool programs supported by the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative. The recently released 2023–2024 Statewide Evaluation Report offers more than a snapshot of program performance, it provides in-depth, actionable insights into how Arkansas’s 21st CCLC programs are supporting youth through expanded learning. For policymakers, educators, and afterschool leaders, the findings go beyond compliance metrics to highlight what’s working, where challenges remain, and how data can drive meaningful improvement.

 A Comprehensive Look at Quality and Impact

The report evaluates over 11,000 students served at 71 sites across Arkansas using a robust set of tools, including surveys, program quality assessments, and academic data. It centers around four critical statewide goals for Arkansas 21^st CCLC programs:

1. Strengthening organizational capacity
2. Delivering high-quality programming
3. Maintaining high levels of student engagement
4. Improving academic outcomes

Each of these goals is backed by detailed performance metrics, creating a clear line of sight between activities, quality practices, and youth outcomes.

Key Highlights

The evaluation highlights how 21st CCLC programs across Arkansas are delivering measurable results:

• Strong Site Leadership and Improvement Culture: 100% of program directors engaged in data-driven planning and reported high levels of support and job satisfaction, indicating a strong foundation for program stability and leadership.
• Robust Youth Engagement: 87% of surveyed students said they’re excited to attend programs, and all sites exceeded attendance benchmarks of 5+ hours per week.
• Positive Academic Outcomes: Students who regularly participated showed stronger outcomes in math (statistically significant) and modest gains in reading, particularly in models that adjusted for differences in student background.
• Focused Support for High-Need Students: The majority of students served qualified for free or reduced-price lunch, and many had low prior achievement in math and reading. The programs effectively reached students who can benefit from additional academic support.
• Areas for Growth Identified: The evaluation revealed lower rates of staff participation in professional development compared to directors, limited reach to students with chronic absenteeism, and opportunities to expand program access to high-need areas with Title I schools across the state.

Why It’s Relevant

Investing in high-quality afterschool programs is not just about providing extra time for learning, it’s about creating conditions that support long-term academic success, student engagement, and family involvement.  Demonstrating the return on investment in afterschool programs is essential for policymakers and education leaders, especially when allocating resources or considering program expansion.  This report models how statewide systems can use continuous quality improvement (CQI) frameworks, such as the Youth Program Quality Improvement (YPQI) Approach, to drive both program quality and measurable impact. It illustrates how tools like the Program Quality Assessment (PQA), stakeholder surveys, and advanced analytics can pinpoint what’s working and where additional support is needed. 

The Bottom Line

The Arkansas 21st CCLC evaluation goes beyond meeting federal reporting requirements, it equips Arkansas leaders with insights to shape a stronger statewide afterschool system. By offering a clear, data-informed framework for tracking progress, identifying areas for growth, and guiding continuous improvement, the report supports state and local decision-makers in making informed choices. For education officials, program administrators, and policymakers, it provides actionable evidence on how coordinated strategies and focused investments can improve outcomes for students across the state.  In short, the findings offer a compelling case for continued investment in what works and a roadmap for scaling those strategies statewide.

To learn more, explore the full evaluation report here: 2023–2024 Statewide Evaluation Report and discover how data is driving a stronger 21^st CCLC afterschool system in Arkansas.