1. The Effectiveness of Pomona Hope Kids! After School Program Liz Cowan IS 373 April 19, 2010

2. Article Title: The Effectiveness of Volunteer Tutoring Programs for Elementary and Middle School Students: A Meta-Analysis Title: The Effectiveness of Volunteer Tutoring Programs for Elementary and Middle School Students: A Meta-Analysis Authors: Gary W. Ritter (University of Arkansas), Joshua H. Barnett (Arizona State University), George S. Denny and Ginger R. Albin (University of Arkansas) Authors: Gary W. Ritter (University of Arkansas), Joshua H. Barnett (Arizona State University), George S. Denny and Ginger R. Albin (University of Arkansas) Journal: Review of Educational Research Journal: Review of Educational Research Spring 2009, Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 3–38 Spring 2009, Vol. 79, No. 1, pp. 3–38

3. Article’s Questions to Address Goals: Is there good evidence to encourage policy makers and school leaders to continue to pursue volunteer tutoring as a possible strategy for improving the academic skills of young students? How do differences in participants (e.g., age, gender) affect the effectiveness of the programs? How do differences in tutoring programs (e.g., program structure, program focus, types of tutors) affect the results?

4. Article’s Analysis Types of Studies Types of Studies Post-1985 Randomized Field Trials Post-1985 Randomized Field Trials Types of Participants Types of Participants programs involving adult, nonprofessional tutors Types of Interventions Types of Interventions Types of Outcome Measures Types of Outcome Measures What they did with above info: What they did with above info: Selection of Trials Selection of Trials Assessment of Methodological Quality Assessment of Methodological Quality Data Management and Extraction Data Management and Extraction Data Synthesis Data Synthesis Homogeniety Analysis Homogeniety Analysis Sensitivity Analysis Sensitivity Analysis Subgroup Analysis Subgroup Analysis

5. Article’s Findings Overall, the authors found volunteer tutoring has a positive effect on student achievement. With respect to particular subskills, students who work with volunteer tutors are likely to earn higher scores on assessments related to letters and words, oral fluency, and writing as compared to their peers who are not tutored. 3 Conclusions: Very little is known about the effectiveness of volunteer tutoring interventions at improving math outcomes. The research base for volunteer tutoring, although based mostly on studies with small samples, is useful precisely because there are so many studies that employ experimental designs. Policy makers and educators should view this work as an important piece of evidence when deciding whether to employ volunteer tutoring as a strategy to improve academic skills for young students.

6. Pomona Hope Mission Statement The mission of Pomona Hope is to bring hope, peace, and well being to the city through engaging in community organizing, serving the people by providing educational opportunities, and working for neighborhood transformation. The mission of Pomona Hope is to bring hope, peace, and well being to the city through engaging in community organizing, serving the people by providing educational opportunities, and working for neighborhood transformation.

7. My Research Problem Is the Pomona Hope Kids! After School Program worth the time of its volunteers and the money of its donors? Is the Pomona Hope Kids! After School Program worth the time of its volunteers and the money of its donors? In other words, is the program working to improve the knowledge and grades of the children, or are they learning just as much or less than they would be without attending the program? In other words, is the program working to improve the knowledge and grades of the children, or are they learning just as much or less than they would be without attending the program?

8. Research Questions Are kids in the program more likely to improve than those outside of it? Are kids in the program more likely to improve than those outside of it? Should schools with no students in the program find a way to get students who need extra help into the program? Should schools with no students in the program find a way to get students who need extra help into the program? Should similar programs be invested in throughout the city? Should similar programs be invested in throughout the city?

9. Research Data Sets Grade improvements of program students from the 2008-09 school year (provided by Pomona Hope Kids! program—42 students overall) Grade improvements of program students from the 2008-09 school year (provided by Pomona Hope Kids! program—42 students overall) School Accountability Report Cards for schools in Pomona Unified School District (provided by PUSD for the State of California: http://www.pusd.org/education/components/docmgr/defau lt.php?sectiondetailid=498&catfilter=59#showDoc ) School Accountability Report Cards for schools in Pomona Unified School District (provided by PUSD for the State of California: http://www.pusd.org/education/components/docmgr/defau lt.php?sectiondetailid=498&catfilter=59#showDoc ) Base map showing Pomona Hope Community Center and Lincoln, Simons, Mendoza, San Antonio, Vejar, Emerson, Pueblo, Washington, and San Jose Elementary Schools (those schools attended by program students) as well as other elementary schools in the district. (Pomona, CA) Base map showing Pomona Hope Community Center and Lincoln, Simons, Mendoza, San Antonio, Vejar, Emerson, Pueblo, Washington, and San Jose Elementary Schools (those schools attended by program students) as well as other elementary schools in the district. (Pomona, CA)

10. Research Analysis Approach Average together the percentage improvements of subjects from each school site to compare to the school’s overall improvement. Average together the percentage improvements of subjects from each school site to compare to the school’s overall improvement. Plot schools on map for comparison of distance from the Pomona Hope Community Center (with graduated colors showing least to most improvement in schools). Plot schools on map for comparison of distance from the Pomona Hope Community Center (with graduated colors showing least to most improvement in schools).

11. Expectations/Hypothesis Hypothesis: Hypothesis: Students in the program do better in school and improve more than they would if there were no program. Students in the program do better in school and improve more than they would if there were no program. Expectations: Expectations: Successfully analyze my GIS problem statement and come to a factual conclusion. Successfully analyze my GIS problem statement and come to a factual conclusion. Learn the methods, skills and tools to be able to use ArcGIS and relevant data to factually answer any potential future problem statement in a clear, concise manner that is quickly understandable to others. Learn the methods, skills and tools to be able to use ArcGIS and relevant data to factually answer any potential future problem statement in a clear, concise manner that is quickly understandable to others. Perhaps use my end product to present at the next fundraiser for the program. Perhaps use my end product to present at the next fundraiser for the program.