Literacy and Soccer in Action

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

The goals of America SCORES are: 1) to engage youth in alternating classroom, soccer training, and game days, all of which take place immediately after school five days a week; and 2) to track SCORES students' TAKS exam scores and how SCORES students compare with non-SCORES students at the same grade level on this exam within each school. DFW SCORES will also record attendance of the students and compare this data with non-SCORES attendance rates. Furthermore, DFW SCORES administers a youth survey, a coach survey, and a parent survey. The consultant will produce accurate quantitative and qualitative information tracking student attendance and qualitative impact assessments from parents and teachers. Additionally, at the end of the program year, the America SCORES Dallas staff and board review feedback in qualitative surveys in order to gauge service effectiveness. Examples of improvements based upon survey feedback include: development of a communications policy, schedules that better accommodate SCORES teachers and students, and more relevant training topics. NCA/NCF