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YMCA and Chatham County Schools expand Power Scholars; summer program data shows measured reading gains
Summary
The board approved a memorandum with the YMCA of the Triangle to provide after-school Y-Learning at Virginia Cross and heard results from the summer Power Scholars program: presenters reported about 300 students served, 196 showing measurable growth and 63 moving to end-of-grade proficiency (20 in third grade). Grant funding and district contributions were discussed.
The Chatham County Board of Education approved a memorandum of agreement with the YMCA of the Triangle to run a Y-Learning school-year intervention at Virginia Cross Elementary and heard an update on the summer Power Scholars program.
Tracy Fowler, chief of student support services, said the Y-Learning MOU — funded through a 21st-century-style grant referenced in the presentation — will provide after-school academic services at Virginia Cross with a minimum of 60 students invited from Virginia Cross, Siler City Elementary and Silk Hope. Fowler said there will be no cost to participating students.
Jamie West of the YMCA summarized the Power Scholars summer academy, saying it provided five weeks of intensive reading and math intervention plus enrichment activities. YMCA and district presenters reported the program served roughly 300 students at two sites, engaged about 60 staff members, and offered 91 hours of reading instruction and multiple field trips.
District presenters said the combined summer sites produced measurable gains: "a 196 kids grew as measured by MCAS," and "we had 63 students that moved to end of grade proficiency... and 20 of those students are in third grade," remarks attributed to district presenters during the data review. The presenters credited program design, small student-to-adult ratios and alignment with district literacy goals.
Presenters also described funding: speakers said the grant will provide $250,000 for summer programming and $221,000 for school-year programs in the first year of funding; YMCA staff said Chatham’s incremental investment would be about $100,000 for the school-year component while the full cost to serve 300 students in summer was estimated at about $460,000. The YMCA noted the grant is multi-year and requires meeting performance metrics to secure subsequent years of support.
Board members asked about expansion and cost, and presenters said the district and YMCA expect to scale the model if metrics are met and grant requirements are satisfied. The board approved the YMCA memorandum of agreement by voice vote.
