In January of 2002, with additional federal funds from DPW, four pilot sites began implementing ELECT Student Works (ESW). The primary purpose of ESW is to assist Local Education Agencies (LEA) in developing prevention focused comprehensive after school activities for at-risk youth in grades four through eight.

Purpose

Research shows that children in after school programs are one­third less likely to become teen parents, thus the ELECT Pregnant and Parenting Teen Program expanded its initiative to provide prevention focused and comprehensive after school activities, Monday through Friday for three hours following school dismissal, to children identified at­risk enrolled in grades three through eight. These students will learn skills and knowledge that will assist in preventing early and repeat pregnancies and other at­risk behaviors that are known to jeopardize the students " personal and economic futures. In addition to general skill building, students will be provided with diverse youth development activities that engage students and fills their time following school dismissal when students are unsupervised and when many teen pregnancies occur.

The programs' primary focus is to:

• Provide children with opportunities that will help them identify and avoid behaviors and situations that put them at risk such as pregnancy prevention;

• Strengthen academic achievement for at-risk children;

• Assist at-risk children to develop constructive personal skills and goals;

• Provide at-risk children with opportunities to develop strong linkages with adults, their school and their community via mentoring and service learning opportunities

Empowerment Districts, Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh School Districts were selected to pilot ESW. Funding programs in school districts with low PSSA test scores, student populations with 50% or more receiving free or reduced lunches and that are strategically located in areas where students are exposed to high risk behaviors, such as poverty, homelessness, crime, drugs and alcohol provided an excellent opportunity to target students at highest risk for becoming pregnant or parenting teens.

Students are referred to the program by school administrators, counselors, teachers and parents. They are referred for poor school performance, poor school attendance, previous drug/alcohol abuse, or any other behaviors placing the child at higher risk and thus in greater need for this program.

Required Program Services:

• Personal Development (Life Skills, Communication Skills, Anger Management, Self­Esteem Building, and Supervised Recreational Activities)

• Academic Enhancement

• Prevention of High Risk Behaviors (Community Service Learning; Mentoring; Drug, Alcohol & Violence Prevention Programming, Character Education, Refusal Skills)

• Student Support Services

• Coordination of Community and School­based Services

  • Coordination with the local County Assistance Offices (CAOs)

  • Student Record System

• Attendance, Retention, Detention, Suspension and Expulsion Tracking

• Parental Involvement Activities

Required Program Outcomes

• The pregnancy rate for participants who have attended ESW for six months or more during the school year will be 50% lower than that of non­participants at­risk, in school peers.

• The school attendance rate for 70% of the participants who have attended ESW for six months will have remained consistent or improved.

• School performance (both behavior and academic achievement) has remained consistent or improved for at least 70% of the ESW participants who have attended the program consistently for at least six months.

Erie, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh School Districts were identified as pilot sites for this initiative. The selection of these sites was based on low PSSA test scores, student population with 50% or more receiving free or reduced lunches, and geographically located in areas where students are exposed to high risk behaviors, such as poverty, homelessness, and exposure to crime, drugs and alcohol.