Stacey and Bo Porter SELF Foundation: Building Academic, Behavior, and Social Skills among At-Risk Youth in HISD, 2016-2017. Research Educational Program Report

Houston Independent School District. Research & Accountability, 4400 West 18th Street 2 NW, Houston, TX 77092. Tel: 713-556-6700; Fax: 713-556-6730; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://www.houstonisd.org/research

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At Risk Students; Middle School Students; Academic Ability; Student Development; Social Development; Emotional Development; After School Programs; Program Effectiveness; Reading Achievement; Mathematics Achievement; Student Attitudes; Grade 6; Grade 7; Grade 8; Physical Activities; Tutoring; Goal Orientation; School Safety; Self Efficacy; Student Behavior; Attendance; Racial Differences; Ethnicity; Age Differences; Limited English Speaking; Low Income Students; Interpersonal Competence; Academic Persistence; Skill Development; Discipline

For the past three years, SELF (Sports, Education, Life Skills, and Faith) has focused on improving academic, behavioral, and social skills of students at Key, Revere, and Meyerland middle schools in the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Tutorials, an essay contest, character-building lessons, sports, a high-school bridge program, and gender-specific activities are key features, designed to help students succeed in school and college. SELF students showed higher gains from 2016 to 2017 on reading and math STAAR compared to a matched sample of non-SELF students enrolled at the targeted schools. Other findings included an increase in the percentage of students with"no" out-of-school suspensions (88% to 90%) as well as an increase in the percentage of students with "no" in-school suspensions (86% to 88%) from 2016 to 2017. The SELF student sample had no expulsions or other disciplinary actions over the past two years. Relative to attendance, the percentage of SELF students with "no" excused absences decreased. Unexpectedly, the percentage of students with "no" unexcused absences also decreased, rather than increased. SELF students continued to, overwhelmingly, perceive benefits from program activities. Based on student input, additional benefits from guest speakers may be enhanced by providing topics of high student interest.

As Provided

2020

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