Let’s save a federal program that works: Karen H. Larwin

Guest columnist Karen H. Larwin, Ph.D., is a scholar, educator, veteran and American with a disability whose pioneering work in evaluation and applied statistics has advanced education, public health and social equity. She is a professor at Youngstown State University and founder of R.E.M. Consulting.

I recently conducted a study evaluating the academic and developmental impact of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio (BGCNEO) programs supported by 21st Century Community Learning Centers -- the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to out-of-school education programs.

What I found should make everyone take notice.

The evidence was clear: These 21st Century-funded clubs are delivering results that schools alone have been unable to achieve.

While school district-level performa