About START

Championed by the City and local school districts, Sacramento START was launched in January 1996. Today, START is widely recognized as one of the most outstanding after school programs in the United States. The program has also been recognized as one of fifteen Regional Learning Centers offering mentoring and coaching to other after school programs throughout the state.

The Sacramento START program has touched the lives of thousands of children over the past eight years. Approximately 6,000 children are currently enrolled in the program that spans six school districts (Del Paso Heights, Elk Grove Unified, Natomas Unified, North Sacramento, Rio Linda Union, and Sacramento City) and 43 school sites. The program currently offers an exciting array of academic, enrichment, and recreation opportunities for participants. These experiences offer the children glimpses of inspiring possibilities that spark their imagination, build a foundation for new endeavors, and develop future leaders.

The program helps children throughout the Sacramento region gain knowledge, expand their universe outside neighborhood boundaries, provide opportunities to grow and flourish, build and develop trust, and create and fulfill dreams. With this in mind, the program promotes youth development and builds on individual student assets. Teaching to the whole child helps the child form new friendships, develop new interests, and enhance self-esteem. Positive youth development promotes social and emotional growth and greater attachment to school which, in turn, translates into enhanced learning opportunities during the regular school day.

The 2002/2003 START program evaluation heralds "great news" in the form of outstanding student outcomes for children who participate in the START program. Student results reflect increased student participation, stronger attached to school, and significant gains in academic achievement.

Program sustainability has been attained through a diversified funding strategy that includes public grant funding, City and County of Sacramento funding, school district matching funds, and corporate and private donations. In the coming year, Sacramento START will add 53 AmeriCorps members as Enrichment Specialists to the existing 350 employees in order to broaden community and volunteer involvement. Andee Press-Dawson, START Program Manager, along with all of the staff are looking forward to the exciting opportunity to work with the AmeriCorps members to enhance and support the program.

START Offers...

The Sacramento START program includes the following three components: homework and tutoring assistance, literacy, and enrichment/recreation. All START sites have an assigned Academic Alignment Coach who is a credentialed teacher working at the school site who acts as a liaison between the after school and school programs. START programs have the following activities incorporated into the daily or weekly schedule.

Homework/Tutoring Assistance
Daily reinforcement of current school work is given to each child through homework and tutoring assistance.

Reading
Group and individual reading opportunities emphasize accuracy and fluency.
- Kidz Lit and Options Reading curriculum

Literacy and Math Activities
These activities are to be presented at each grade level to support and reinforce the chosen school day curriculum (Open Court, Scholastic, Success For All, Literacy Achievement Project, etc.) at the school site. Activities should include but not be limited to:
- Math Coach and Anthony Flores Math Games
- Daily Language Review (DLR)
- Literacy and Math Centers (using File Folder games and other literacy focused activities)

Enrichment Recreation Activities
One of the overriding goals of the Sacramento START program is to give our students the opportunity to "sample" a variety of new experiences as well as to develop skills in new areas. The enrichment and recreation components of the START day will make this a reality for the 7,000 children in the program. The following list of activities can be provided by the Program Leaders:
- Art
- Cooking
- Crafts
- Science
- Poetry
- Chess
- Health & Physical Education
- Intramural Sports
- Cooperative Games
- Group & Team Sports
- Drama & Dance
- Music, Choir & Movement
- Cultural & Holiday Theme Activities
- Field Trips
- Nutrition
- Gardening
- Environmental Education

START offers various programs to educate the students through community partners. Some of the offered activities are:

1. Camp Sacramento
2. Effie Yeaw Nature Center
3. Crocker Art Museum
4. Fantasy Theater
5. G.E.O. Cooking Club
6. G.E.O. Garden Tours
7. 5-A-Day Nutrition and Cooking Program
8. On the Wild Side Environmental Education Program
9. Campfire USA
10. Matrix Arts
11. Sacramento Bee Newspapers in Education
12. Sacramento Ballet
13. Steps to College EAOP
14. S.T.A.R.S.-Students Teaching and Reaching other Students
15. Never Cry Wolf
16. USTA Tennis
17. Youth Experiences in Science Project
18. Water Conservation Program
19. Ready to Grow
20. Karate

All About Start

All About Start, PDF file

How We Know It Works...

Sacramento START has made great strides in student achievement, attendance, character building, and attitudes towards school. After school programs support the efforts of credentialed teachers and other school staff to promote student learning during the regular school day. High quality after school programs promote youth development and build on student assets. They promote attachment of the child to school, help the child form new friendships, develop new interests, and build their self-esteem. Participation in a high quality after school program leads to positive youth development, social and emotional growth, and greater attachment to school. Positive youth development helps the child take greater advantage of the learning opportunities during the regular school day.
a. PDF 1999-2000_evaluation
b. PDF 2000-2001_evaluation
c. PDF 2001-2002_evaluation

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