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Quantum Opportunity Program

An Effective Practice

Description

Developed by Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America, Inc. (OIC), the Quantum Opportunity Program (QOP) is a youth development program for socio-economically disadvantaged youth. Using a comprehensive case management approach, the program provides year-round services to youth throughout the four years of high school. Participants, who are called "associates," engage in 250 hours of activity in each of three areas every year: education, development, and community service. Associates are provided financial incentives, through stipends and bonuses, for participating in QOP activities.

Goal / Mission

The program's main goal is to improve academic deficiencies. A secondary emphasis is to establish meaningful, long-term relationships between the participants and program Coordinators. Finally, the program encourages involvement and commitment to school and community.

Results / Accomplishments

Compared with the control group, Hahn et al. (1994) found that:

- There were no significant program effects after only one year
- By the second year of the program, the average test scores for Associates were significantly higher in five of eleven academic and functional areas: vocabulary, comprehension, mathematics computation, mathematics concepts, and language expression
- By the end of the program in 1993, average group scores were significantly higher in all eleven areas

Hahn (1999) reports that compared to the control group:

- Associates were significantly more likely to graduate from high school (63 percent vs. 42 percent)
- Associates were significantly more likely to be in postsecondary school (42 percent vs. 16 percent)
- Associates were significantly less likely to be high school dropouts (23 percent vs. 50 percent )
- Associates were less likely to have children (24 percent vs. 38 percent )

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America, Inc.
Primary Contact
C. Benjamin Lattimore
Director, Office of National Literacy Programs
Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America, Inc.
1415 N. Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
(215) 236-4500
CBEL2@aol.com
Topics
Education / Student Performance K-12
Community / Civic Engagement
Economy / Poverty
Organization(s)
Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America, Inc.
Source
Promising Practices Network
Date of publication
Sep 2002
For more details
Target Audience
Teens
Impact DuPage