Effects of an Academic Enrichment Program on Elementary-Aged Students' Performance

• Main Author: Nieder, Lauren E.
• Format: Others
• Published: Scholar Commons 2019
• Subjects: academics; Indian-American students; childhood school stress; common core standards; education; parental perceptions; Education; Public Health
• Online Access: https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/7871; https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=9068&context=etd

The goal of this research was to develop a greater understanding of the effectiveness of enrichment programs outside of the school setting. This study was also intended to contribute to the broader understanding of the mechanism of student school-related stress, reported by parents, as it relates to student academic performance, specifically in a population which primarily consists of students and parents who are of Asian-Indian-American descent. With rising standards and intensifying pressure on students to be academically successful, it is necessary to examine the stress students experience due to their academics, as well as its effects on their academic performance. Participants in this study included twenty 1st through 5th grade elementary students who attend weekly classes at one of three local academies where the after-school academic enrichment program is offered. Data from those students participating in both math and English was accounted for separately, resulting in 34 total student subjects which can be utilized for this study (N = 34). After performing bivariate logistic regression, the models did not reach significance (p > .05), therefore it cannot be said that an increase or decrease in dependent variable of students’ school grades can be predicted that any of the following independent variables: homework completion, length of enrollment, and academy homework scores,. The perceptions of the parents, in addition to those of the children experiencing these stressors should be studied further.