During the second year of the study's data collection, program
administrators indicated that their major objectives for
programs serving middle school students were to help students
improve academically and to provide a safe place for them after
school. About 80 percent of centers offered homework sessions
and 60 percent offered other types of academic assistance, such
as additional help in language arts or mathematics. The emphasis
on academics increased from the first to second year, according
to site visitors, principals, center coordinators, and project
directors. While our site visit data cannot confirm this shift,
there clearly was a perception that centers were focusing more
on academic activities. Programs experienced considerable staff
turnover during the 2 years of the study. Two-thirds of the
staff did not return in the second year; almost one-third of the
schools where centers were located had a new principal, and one-
third had a new center coordinator. Only about 20 percent of
programs had a new