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The Harvard Family Research Project separated from the Harvard Graduate School of Education to become the Global Family Research Project as of January 1, 2017. It is no longer affiliated with Harvard University.

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Program Description

Overview The mission of the 3:00 Project, a statewide after school initiative in Georgia, is to transform the out-of-school time of early adolescents: instead of unsupervised, unstructured, and unproductive hours, they should be given the opportunity for challenge, commitment, and care. The middle school-based initiative has three key goals: to provide safety for children when they are out of school, to encourage the collaboration of community resources, and to build skills and improve academic success of participating students. The program seeks to provide youth opportunities to grow socially, emotionally, intellectually, and physically.
Start Date 1994
Scope state
Type after school
Location urban, suburban, rural
Setting public school
Participants middle school students
Number of Sites/Grantees 9 sites in 1995–1996; 9 contractors offered the project at 16 sites in 1997–1998—17 additional sites were funded as independent Middle School After School (MSAS) programs, but used the 3:00 Project's curriculum; 9 contractors offered the project at 12 sites in 1998–1999 (with 25 additional MSAS sites); 10 contractors offered the project at 15 sites in 1999–2000 (with 25 additional MSAS sites)
Number Served approximately 500 in 1995–1996; over 750 in 1997–1998; 802 in 1999–2000; over 950 in 2002–2003
Components The programs must provide a safe and nurturing environment that meets the developmental needs of early adolescents; provide opportunities that encourage social, emotional, intellectual, and physical growth; improve school success; and encourage collaboration of community institutions and agencies to support students, the program, and the community. The 3:00 Project uses a curriculum with four components: community service learning, academic enrichment, communication strategies, and socialization/ recreation.

Goals of community service learning are to provide youth with opportunities for developing commitment and attachment to the larger society through productive, meaningful volunteer activities, and also to serve as an outlet for adolescents' capacity and desire to assume responsibility and explore adult roles.

The academic enrichment component is designed to build and enhance skills that support academic achievement, offer enrichment activities beyond the scope of the school curriculum, and incorporate career exploration.

The communication strategies component includes opportunities for participants to enhance their verbal and nonverbal communication skills to support effective decision making, conflict resolution, and interpersonal skills.

The socialization/recreation component includes activities that provide participants opportunities to learn and practice social skills, to experience a variety of recreational activities, and to promote mental and physical wellness.
Funding Level $300,000 until 2000–2001; $290,000 in 2001–2002; $285,000 in 2002–2003; the program was not funded by the state in 2003–2004
Funding Sources GSACA, Georgia General Assembly, and private sources; funds are administered from the Georgia Department of Education budget
Other The 3:00 Project is administered by the Georgia School Age Care Association (GSACA). GSACA provides grants to local school districts and parks and recreation departments to implement after school programs in middle schools. GSACA provides technical assistance and training to 3:00 Project sites and training was available to MSAS sites on a contract basis. In 1997 money was provided by the state to fund additional after school programs in local middle schools. Grantees of these middle school after school programs were given the option of using the 3:00 Project curriculum or another age-appropriate curriculum provided that it offered daily or weekly academic enrichment and community service opportunities. The 3:00 Project was not funded by the state for the 2003–2004 school year. The curriculum is still used in a number of locations, but GSACA's involvement will be limited to working with programs only if they contract for services with them. It is now up to local systems to offer the 3:00 Project if they want to with their own funding. Several districts received funding from the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants to keep their programs operational.

Evaluation

Overview Annual evaluations are conducted to assess the effectiveness of the 3:00 Project in achieving its mission and goals and to improve the initiative.
Evaluator Anne Marie Carlisi, Ph.D. in 1995–1996; Jenny A. Lipana, MPH, CHES in 1997–1998; Susan E. Bockrath, MPH, CHES in 1998–1999; and Andrea Smith in 1999–2000
Evaluations Profiled The 3:00 Project® program evaluation: Executive summary September 1995 – May 1996

The 3:00 Project®: 1997/1998 program evaluation

The 3:00 Project®: 1998/1999 program evaluation

The 3:00 Project®: 1999/2000 program evaluation
Evaluations Planned The 2002–2003 evaluation is underway.
Report Availability Carlisi, A. M. (1996). The 3:00 Project® program evaluation: Executive summary September 1995 – May 1996. Decatur, GA: Georgia School Age Care Association.

Manior, S. H. (1997). Effects of a structured after school program on middle school students. Unpublished dissertation, South Carolina State University, Orangeburg.

Lipana, J. A. (1998). The 3:00 Project®: 1997/1998 program evaluation. Decatur, GA: Georgia School Age Care Association.

Bockrath, S. E. (1999). The 3:00 Project®: 1998/1999 program evaluation. Decatur, GA: Georgia School Age Care Association.

Smith, A. (2000). The 3:00 Project®: 1999/2000 program evaluation. Decatur, GA: Georgia School Age Care Association.


Contacts

Evaluation Stephanie T. Brumbeloe
Georgia School Age Care Association
246 Sycamore St., Ste. 252
Decatur, GA 30030
Tel: 404-373-7414
Fax: 404-373-7428
Email: gsaca@gsaca.com
Program Stephanie T. Brumbeloe
Georgia School Age Care Association
246 Sycamore St., Ste. 252
Decatur, GA 30030
Tel: 404-373-7414
Fax: 404-373-7428
Email: gsaca@gsaca.com
Profile Updated October 3, 2003

Evaluation 1: The 3:00 Project® Program Evaluation: Executive Summary September 1995 – May 1996


Evaluation Description

Evaluation Purpose To assess the effectiveness of the 3:00 Project in achieving its mission and goals and to improve the initiative.
Evaluation Design Quasi-Experimental and Non-Experimental: Data were collected from participating students, their parents, teachers, principals, 3:00 Project Site Coordinators, and local 3:00 Project Advisory Council members. Longitudinal grades and attendance records collected for participating students in three of the sites allowed for an analysis of participants' changes in these areas over time.
Data Collection Methods Secondary Source/Data Review: Grade and attendance record data were obtained from three of the nine sites. In total, 174 students' grades and attendance records were included in the evaluation. This data were available for students twice per year.

Surveys/Questionnaires: Survey results were received and analyzed from seven of the nine sites. One hundred and twelve parent surveys were completed, along with 206 student surveys, 27 teacher surveys, 5 principal surveys, 5 site coordinator surveys, and 8 advisory council member surveys. Participants were asked to respond to statements about the 3:00 Project on a five-point scale from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” Survey questions concerned satisfaction with the project, safety, project staff, communication and collaboration between various parties, academic success, skill building, behavioral change, and community service learning. Surveys were administered once per year between April and May.
Data Collection Timeframe Data were collected during the 1995–1996 school year.


Findings:
Formative/Process Findings

Activity Implementation Of the students surveyed, 73.5% agreed that the project's activities made good use of their time and talents.
Costs/Revenues Approximately 79% of parents agreed that they could afford the project's fees.
Parent/Community Involvement Of the parents surveyed, 80% agreed that the program staff kept them informed about their children's successes and difficulties.

Ninety-two percent of parents surveyed felt free to visit the program any time.

Of the parents surveyed, 82% felt free to share their ideas with program staff.
Program Context/Infrastructure Approximately 80% of students, 96% of parents and teachers, and 100% of principals, site coordinators, and advisory council members agreed that the project provides a safe and healthy place for adolescents to go after school.

Over 89% of parents agreed that their children were safer than children who did not participate in the project.

Nearly 95% of parents surveyed agreed that the project's hours fit their needs, while 96.4% agreed that the project's schedule fit their needs.
Satisfaction Over 80% of students surveyed liked coming to the project.

Of the students surveyed, 74.3% would encourage a friend to come.
Staffing/Training Two-thirds of the students surveyed agreed that staff members were positive role models.

Seventy percent of students agreed that the staff was well trained.

Almost three-quarters of students agreed that they liked and respected the staff and 69.1% reported that the staff liked and respected them.

Between 80% and 100% of parents, teachers, principals, site coordinators, and advisory council members agreed that the staff was well trained and served as positive role models for adolescents, and 85%–100% also believed that children were well cared for and supervised by program staff.

Students' satisfaction with staff varied by site, with students reporting high levels of satisfaction with staff in four sites, and more moderate levels of satisfaction in the remaining three sites.


Summative/Outcome Findings

Academic Approximately 55%–70% of students across the three sites with grade data available experienced at least one of their grades improving from the beginning to the end of the school year; none of these students experienced a drop in grades in any of their classes.

Sixty percent of students and 70% each of parents and teachers surveyed reported that students were more interested in school as a result of the program.

Of those surveyed, 67.6% of students, 78% of parents, and 51% of teachers reported that students improved their grades as a result of the program.

Sixty-eight percent of students, 88% of parents, and 63% of teachers surveyed reported that students completed more and better homework as a result of the program.
Prevention Overall, 70% of students agreed that since participating, they were less involved in dangerous situations, while only 10% of students disagreed with this statement.

Over 70% of participants agreed that they were involved in less dangerous situations than their nonparticipating friends.

Nearly 95% of parents agreed that the project reduced their child's exposure to high-risk situations.
Systemic Three-quarters each of teachers, principals, site coordinators, and advisory council members agreed that the project had improved the quality and availability of after school care in their communities.
Youth Development About 90% of parents agreed that their children learned valuable new communication skills since they began participating.

Over 80% of parents agreed that their children learned how to handle conflict better as a result of the program.

Approximately 75%–80% of parents and teachers agreed that participating children had fewer behavior problems, were more cooperative with adults, and were better at following adult rules and directions since participating.

Roughly 60–70% of students agreed that their communication and personal skills had improved since participating in the project, although responses varied greatly by site.

Students at sites where community service was not a regular part of the programming were less likely to report liking community service work and the intention of doing volunteer work in the future.

Evaluation 2: The 3:00 Project®: 1997/1998 Program Evaluation


Evaluation Description

Evaluation Purpose To assess the effectiveness of the 3:00 Project in achieving its mission and goals and to improve the initiative.
Evaluation Design Non-Experimental: Data were collected from students, parents, site coordinators, staff, teachers, principals, and advisory council members at 12 3:00 Project sites and 11 Middle School After School (MSAS) programs.
Data Collection Methods Surveys/Questionnaires: Surveys were administered to students, parents, site coordinators, staff, teachers, principals, and advisory council members at the participating 3:00 Project and MSAS sites. The surveys addressed satisfaction with the program and curriculum as well as community collaboration in support of the program. Survey respondents were asked to respond to statements on a five-point scale, from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree,” which was collapsed into three categories for analytic purposes. The survey also included open-ended questions. In total, 1,124 surveys were analyzed. These 1,124 surveys consisted of 661 students, 201 parents, 104 teachers, 66 staff members, 51 advisory council members, 24 site coordinators, and 17 principals.
Data Collection Timeframe Data were collected at the end of the 1997–1998 school year.


Findings:
Formative/Process Findings

Costs/Revenues Over 84% of parents from the 3:00 Project and the MSAS program sites agreed that the 3:00 Project is an affordable option for after school care.

Few parents cited the program fee as their greatest dislike of the program.
Parent/Community Involvement Communication between the 3:00 Project staff and parents, teachers, advisory council members improved in 1997–1998 compared to the previous year. In addition, the majority of parents at MSAS were satisfied with the flow of information from the programs.

Nearly 95% of the 3:00 Project parents and 88% of MSAS parents reported that staff kept them informed of their child's successes and difficulties.

The majority of parents, teachers, principals, staff members, site coordinators, and advisory council members (75%–100%) from both the 3:00 Project sites and MSAS sites agreed that the 3:00 Project is a safe and healthy place for adolescents to go after school. A smaller majority (65%–88%) of students in the programs agreed to the same sentiments.
Satisfaction Over 70% of students from the 3:00 Project and the MSAS program sites reported that they liked coming to the 3:00 Project, citing sports, the variety of activities, and snacks as what they enjoyed most about the program.

The majority of parents of students participating at the 3:00 Project sites (97.4%) and MSAS sites (78.2%) agreed that their child likes coming to the 3:00 Project.

Over 80% of parents from both the 3:00 Project and MSAS sites expressed satisfaction with the schedule and hours of the program.

Over 90% of teachers, principals, staff, site coordinators and advisory council members from both the 3:00 Project and MSAS felt that children liked participating in the program.

Over 70% of students in the 3:00 Project indicated they would encourage a friend to come to the project.
Staffing/Training Over 82% of the MSAS participants and over 66% of the 3:00 Project participants endorsed the staff as respectful, well-trained, and positive role models.

Over 85% of the 3:00 Project parents agreed that their children received helpful tutoring from project staff, with similar or greater percentages indicating staff were respectful of children, were positive role models, were well trained, and gave enough supervision. Nearly 60% of MSAS parents agreed that their children received helpful tutoring, while approximately 75% agreed with the other positive aspects of the staff.
Systemic Infrastructure For staff and site coordinators at the 3:00 Project sites and MSAS program sites, the majority were satisfied with the assistance and resources provided by GSACA.


Summative/Outcome Findings

Academic Over 74% of students from the 3:00 Project sites reported that their grades were better as a result of the 3:00 Project. Over 85% of parents and 77% of teachers reported the same. For MSAS programs, 65.1% of students agreed that their grades improved due to the program, as did 82% of their parents and 69% of their teachers.

Over 84% of parents, principals, staff and site coordinators from the 3:00 Project sites and nearly 74% of students indicated that as a result of participating in the 3:00 Project, children showed improvements in homework. For the MSAS programs, 100% of teachers, principals, staff, and site coordinators agreed that students were doing better on homework due to the program, while over 85% of parents and 82.4% of students also agreed.

Nearly 70% of 3:00 Project students reported being more interested in their schoolwork because of the program. Nearly 78% of parents and 64% of teachers agreed. For MSAS, 93% of students, 80% of parents, and 58.6% of teachers agreed that students were more interested in schoolwork because of the program.
Community Over 70% of parents, teachers, principals, staff, site coordinators, and advisory council members from the 3:00 Project and the MSAS program sites agreed that as a result of participating in the project, their child was making a difference to the community by volunteer work.
Prevention Nearly 65% of students reported less involvement in dangerous situations as compared to their friends since participating in the 3:00 Project.

Over 78% of students said they were less involved in dangerous situations overall since participating in the 3:00 Project. Over 90% of parents agreed. The corresponding figures for MSAS sites were 80% and 78%, respectively.
Systemic Over 90% of teachers, principals, site coordinators, and advisory council members agreed the quality and availability of after school care improved as a result of the 3:00 Project.
Youth Development Approximately 55% to 60% of 3:00 Project students and three-quarters of MCAS students agreed that they learned to handle conflicts better, used new communication and conflict resolution skills, and got along better with people because of the program. Approximately 73% and 88% of parents from the 3:00 Project sites and 65% and 75% of MSAS parents agreed in these same areas.

Between 84% and 93% of parents and roughly 55%–75% of teachers, principals, and staff agreed that since participating in the 3:00 Project children had fewer behavioral problems, were more cooperative with adults, and were better at following directions and adult rules, compared with a year earlier. At least 80% of staff, site coordinators, principals, advisory council members, and parents, and 53%–63% of teachers agreed that children's behavior had improved since participating in MSAS program.

Over 86% of 3:00 Project parents felt that their children were developing interests in new topics or activities since beginning the program. Over 67% of students agreed with the same statement. For MSAS programs, 83% of students and 84% of parents felt that children have developed interests in new activities and topics as a result of participating in the MSAS programs.

Approximately 70% agreed that they made new friends in the program.

Nearly 60% of 3:00 Project students and 73% of MSAS students agreed that they were learning valuable new skills due to the program.

Evaluation 3: The 3:00 Project®: 1998/1999 Program Evaluation


Evaluation Description

Evaluation Purpose To assess the effectiveness of the 3:00 Project in achieving its mission and goals and to improve the initiative.
Evaluation Design Non-Experimental: Data were collected from students, parents, site coordinators, staff, teachers, principals, advisory council members, and community partners at 12 3:00 Project sites.
Data Collection Methods Surveys/Questionnaires: Surveys addressed satisfaction with the program and curriculum as well as community collaboration in support of the program. Survey respondents were asked to respond to statements on a five-point scale, from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree,” which were collapsed into three response categories for analytic purposes. The survey also included open-ended questions. In total, 380 surveys were analyzed. Another 83 surveys were analyzed only on open-ended questions due to problems with the data collection instruments.
Data Collection Timeframe Data were collected at the end of the 1998–1999 school year.


Findings:
Formative/Process Findings

Activity Implementation Nearly 82% of students agreed that the project provided a wide variety of activities.

Nearly 85% reported receiving helpful tutoring with schoolwork.

Approximately 74% of students felt like they were allowed to make decisions about activities.
Costs/Revenues Approximately 86% of parents agreed that the project's fees were affordable.
Parent/Community Involvement Approximately 90% of parents reported that they felt free to visit the project whenever they could and to share their ideas about the program and its policies and that they felt they were kept informed about schedules and activities and about their child's successes and difficulties.
Program Context/Infrastructure Ninety-seven percent of parents agreed that the project's hours fit their needs.

Over 90% of parents were pleased with the project's level of safety, and over 80% of students thought it provided a safe place.
Satisfaction Approximately 90% of students liked coming to the project.

Approximately 86% of students would encourage a friend to come to the program.

Over 90% of parents reported that their child liked coming to the project.
Staffing/Training Approximately 80% of students agreed that mutual respect was the norm between the staff and themselves.

Approximately 70% to 77% agreed that the staff were well trained and were positive role models.

About 65% of students reported that they felt comfortable discussing problems with staff.

Over 90% of parents were satisfied with staff.


Summative/Outcome Findings

Academic Roughly 60% of students reported greater interest in schoolwork as a result of the program.

Over 70% of students reported better grades due to the program.

Nearly 80% of students reported doing better on homework as a result of the program.

Roughly 80%–85% of parents and 70%–90% of teachers agreed that the program helped improve students' schoolwork interest, grades, and homework completion.
Community Over 62% of students agreed that since they began participating in the 3:00 Project they were making a contribution to the community. Over 55% of principals, between 70%–90% of other adult stakeholders, and 80% of parents concurred.
Prevention Three-quarters of students felt they were less involved in dangerous situations due to the program and 65% thought they were involved in fewer dangerous situations than their friends. Over 90% of parents agreed with these sentiments.

Over 75% of parents reported that their children had fewer behavioral problems as a result of the project, while 72% of teachers and 55.5% of principals also agreed with this.
Youth Development Approximately two-thirds of students, over 80% of parents, 82% of teachers, and 62% of principles thought that the project helped students handle conflicts better, use new communication/conflict resolution skills, and get along better with others.

Approximately 77% of students and 85% of parents reported that students developed new interests as a result of the program.

Roughly 67% of students, 95% of teachers, 85% of parents, 55% of principals, 92% of staff, 100% of coordinators, 83% of advisory council members, and 83% of community partners agreed that children learned valuable new skills in the program.

Almost all parents reported that as a result of the project, their child increased their level of self-esteem.

Over 80% of parents thought their children had become more cooperative and followed directions and adult rules better as a result of the program. Nearly 75% of teachers and 56% of principals agreed.

Eighty-three percent of students reported that they made new friends in the program.

Evaluation 4: The 3:00 Project®: 1999/2000 Program Evaluation


Evaluation Description

Evaluation Purpose To assess the effectiveness of the 3:00 Project in achieving its mission and goals and to improve the initiative.
Evaluation Design Non-Experimental: Data collection from eight 3:00 Project stakeholder groups, including students, parents, site coordinators, staff, teachers, principals, advisory council members, and community resources at 15 3:00 Project sites.
Data Collection Methods Surveys/Questionnaires: Surveys addressed stakeholder satisfaction with the program and curriculum as well as community collaboration in support of the program. Survey respondents were asked to respond to statements on a five-point scale, from “strongly agree,” to “strongly disagree,” which was collapsed into three categories for analytic purposes. The survey also included open-ended questions. In addition, information was collected on demographics, aspects of the program liked most and least by participants, what activities and community service projects were done, where students would be after school if not in the project, and the level of difficulty of the project. In total, 706 surveys were analyzed, 420 of them from students.
Data Collection Timeframe Data were collected during the spring of 2000.


Findings:
Formative/Process Findings

Activity Implementation No students thought the things they did at the project were too hard for them. Nearly 80% thought they were just the right amount of difficulty, while 23% thought they were too easy. No parents thought activities too hard for their children; 92% thought the activities were just right, while 8% thought they were too easy.
Program Context/Infrastructure The majority of students, parents, and other adult stakeholders reported the project as a safe place to go after school.
Recruitment/Participation All sites served predominantly African-American population.

Typical students were in grades 6–8 and ages 12–14, although some sites included students in either lower or higher grades, as well as some students younger than 12 and older than 14.

Males and females were represented in approximately equal proportions across all sites.

Thirty-one percent of students said that if not in the program they would be hanging out with friends; 24% said they would be home with an adult; 18% said they would spend their afternoons home alone; 11% said they would be at another club or sports practice; 7% said they would be doing things they weren't supposed to do; 6% said they would be at the library; 16% gave a variety of other responses.

Forty-four percent of parents said their children would be home with an adult if not for the program; 29% said their children would be home alone; 21% said they would be hanging out with friends; 11% said they would be doing things they weren't supposed to do; 8% said they would be at a school or church club; 8% said they would be at sports practice; 6% said they would be at the library.
Satisfaction Over 80% of students reported liking coming to the project, while 96% of parents reported the same of their children. A little over 90% of adult stakeholders reported that students liked going to the project.
Staffing/Training Seventy percent of students and 93% of parents agreed that project staff were nice.

Sixty-six percent of students thought that staff usually knew “what the kids were up to.”

Fifty-one percent of students felt they could tell the staff about their problems; 73% of parents thought that their children would feel comfortable discussing problems with the staff.

Seventy-eight percent of students thought staff knew how to do lots of different activities.

Almost all parents thought staff did a good job of supervising the kids in the program.

Ninety-two percent of parents found the staff to be well trained and the project to be well managed.

Three-quarters of students agreed that staff did a good job helping them do their homework. Approximately 85% of parents and other adult stakeholders also agreed.


Summative/Outcome Findings

Academic Sixty-four percent of students thought they were better students because of the program; 73% of parents and 75% of stakeholders agreed.

Approximately 61% of students reported getting better grades because of the things they did in the program; 67% of parents and 68% of stakeholders agreed.
Prevention Seven percent of students and 11% of parents reported that if not for the project, the children would be doing things they weren't supposed to do after school.
Youth Development Over 80% of students and 88% of parents agreed that participants made new friends through the program.

Seventy-two percent of students reported learning new things; 89% of parents and 85% of other adult stakeholders concurred.

Over half of students felt the program helped them learn how to avoid fighting and yelling when mad, and 58% thought they got along better with people because of things they learned at the program. Seventy-percent of parents agreed with these two ideas.

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Published by Harvard Family Research Project