Effects of a University–School Partnered After-School Music Program on Developmental Health, Social, and Educational Outcomes

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about which aspects of after-school programs bolster the developmental milestones required for children to thrive intellectually, socially, and academically. To help close this gap, we examined the effects of an El Sistema-inspired (ESI) after-school music education program to identify the intervention’s social, educational, and developmental health outcomes. Method: The ESI after-school program was provided to 93 fifth-grade students in a racially and ethnically diverse, low-income elementary school in Ann Arbor, MI, over 4 years. We assessed program effects with a mixed-methods design that included preprogram and postprogram participant surveys, interviews with music instructors and the school principal, and parent and participant focus groups. Results: From pretest to posttest, we found significant changes in students’ perception of their music-making ability and in their connection to other students. Participants also noted an enhanced sense of school pride and broader community recognition. Conclusions: Findings suggest that providing after-school music education in racially and ethnically diverse low-income communities may be an effective strategy for enhancing personal agency, strengthening school connections, and fostering school pride in children.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 22 citations exist upstream.

Papers that cite the same references — the relational fallback while embeddings are still backfilling.