"After-school hours are a critical time for youth. That time can represent either an opportunity to learn and grow, through quality after-school programs, or a time of risk to youth's health and safety," said Congressman Wu. "Chess for Success is an invaluable after-school program that teaches our students skills they can use in every classroom, on every test and in daily life. More kids should have the opportunity to participate in programs like Chess for Success. Learning should not end when the bell rings."

Congressman Wu, recognizing the importance of this after-school program, helped the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory secure an award from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, U.S. Department of Justice, in 2004 to conduct an external evaluation of CFS. CFS currently is implemented in 61 Title I schools in Portland Public Schools. The program serves some 2,500 students in elementary and middle grades.

The evaluation showed that CFS accomplished its primary goal of training and enabling children to be patient and analytical in all problem-solving situations so that there is an increase in their academic achievement and self-esteem.  

The CFS students (91.7%) had a higher percentage in meeting or exceeding standards in reading in 2006 than the state (86.7%) and district (87.7%) percentages.  Moreover, CFS students (93.0%) had a higher percentage in meeting or exceeding standard in math in 2006 than state (88.3%) and district (89.7%) percentages.

Unfortunately, school districts struggle to fund after-school programs. Federal investments in after-schools programs have decreased in recent years. Promises made by the administration to sufficiently fund after-school programs have gone unfulfilled.

As passed, the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) authorized $2.5 billion for the 21st Century Community Learning Center initiative that funds after-school programs for this fiscal year. However, a series of freezes and cuts have left the initiative badly underfunded. The $981 million the president proposes for fiscal year 2008 is more than $20 million in real cuts to funding provided in 2002.

This year, Congress is set to reauthorize NCLB and Congressman Wu hopes that in his service on the Education and Labor Committee he is able to increase federal support for after-school programs under this initiative.

EVALUATION HIGHLIGHTS:

Ø      The research suggests that increases in the proximal [short-term] areas [things learned while learning to play chess] will have a positive long-term affect on assessment scores.

Ø      The project has accomplished its primary goal of training and enabling children to be patient and analytical in all problem-solving situations so that there is an increase in their academic achievement and self-esteem. 

Ø      The CFS students (91.7%) had a higher percentage in meeting or exceeding standards in reading in 2006 than the state (86.7%) and district (87.7%) percentages.  Moreover, CFS students (93.0%) had a higher percentage in meeting or exceeding standard in math in 2006 than state (88.3%) and district (89.7%) percentages.

Ø      CFS program is excellent in engaging high-performing students and keeping them involved in school.

Ø      The project has also had an impact on increasing the interest of a strong proportion of girls in analytical problem solving, which in turn should increase their participation in mathematics and engineering programs and careers. 

Coaches agreed that the program was having a positive impact on their students. 

Participation in CFS:

Ø      Improved students’ ability to follow directions, plan ahead, and think about the future.

Ø      Improved students’ academics, attention/focus, behavior, concentration, confidence (especially in primary grades), convergent/divergent thinking, logical reasoning, patience, problem solving (looking at things more carefully and learning strategies for dealing with different people), and self-esteem.

Ø      Taught commitment, consequences, cooperative behavior, resource management, sportsmanship (shake your opponents’ hand, “learn from a loss—it’s not the end of the world,” “you’re not always going to win,” “setbacks happen”) and chess (playing better and taking more time looking at the board).

Ø      Provided a safe, happy, comfortable, social environment.

Coach’s comments included: 

It gives kids who struggle an opportunity to feel good, especially if they win; it gives them a sense of belonging and pride.

I have 55 kids in a small space.  The tables are packed.  It would be easier to weed them out, but the kids that come are the ones who really need it…and they blossom into players who can actually sit and play a whole game.

A special education teacher saw her student [playing chess] sit still for longer than five minutes.  She started crying.

Focus—students sit and play chess when they won’t sit still anywhere else.

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