Impact of Experience Corps® Participation on School Climate

Jeanine M. Parisi, Christine M. Ramsey, Michelle C. Carlson, Qian Li Xue, Jin Huang, William A. Romani, Sylvia McGill, Teresa E. Seeman, Elizabeth K. Tanner, Jeremy Barron, Erwin J. Tan, Tara L. Gruenewald, Ike Diibor, Linda P. Fried, George W. Rebok

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

We examined the impact of the Experience Corps®(EC) program on school climate within Baltimore City public elementary schools. In this program, teams of older adult volunteers were placed in high intensity (>15 h per week), meaningful roles in public elementary schools, to improve the educational outcomes of children as well as the health and well-being of volunteers. During the first year of EC participation, school climate was perceived more favorably among staff and students in EC schools as compared to those in comparison schools. However, with a few notable exceptions, perceived school climate did not differ for staff or students in intervention and comparison schools during the second year of exposure to the EC program. These findings suggest that perceptions of school climate may be altered by introducing a new program into elementary schools; however, research examining how perceptions of school climate are impacted over a longer period is warranted.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)744-753
Number of pages10
JournalPrevention Science
Volume16
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 4 2015

Keywords

  • Academic achievement
  • Childhood education
  • Classroom behavior
  • Older adult volunteers
  • School climate

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

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