Abstract

With 20 percent of children in the US living in poverty, and considering the potential impact of poverty on academic achievement and other developmental outcomes, children living in poverty are at great risk. The purpose of this study was to assess whether participants in a program designed to meet basic needs (the Success Program) experienced significant changes in academic performance over three school years and determine if change in academic performance over time was moderated by initial skill levels. Baseline and posttest data were gathered for three school years of participation in a child and family intervention program from ninety-two K–7 children living in poverty. Examination of the results indicated that math achievement increased significantly over time for the overall sample. Reading achievement did not increase for the overall sample, but did significantly increase over time for those with the lowest initial academic skill levels at baseline. Interpretations, limitations, and future directions are discussed.