SUMMARY OF AFTERSCHOOL CHESS

CLUBS 2015

Overview of Clubs

Characteristic Spring Fall Total

Number of Schools 46 47 93

Number of Clubs 74 87 161

Number of Students 1,165 1,129 2,294

Average School Percent Free/Reduced Lunch^

63.5% 71.8% 68.0%

Average School Percent Minority 59.4% 66.0% 62.9%

^Public schools only; Percentages weighted by number of clubs.

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School Types with Clubs

Traditional Public 50%

Charter 21%

Magnet 7%

Private 22%

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Grade Levels of Clubs

Grade Level Frequency

Elementary Schools 60.9%

Elementary/Middle Schools 17.4%

Middle Schools 10.6%

High Schools 6.8%

Elementary/Middle/High Schools 3.1%

Middle/High Schools 1.2%

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Public School Districts with Clubs

NORMANDY 21%

ST. LOUIS CITY 20%

FERGUSON-FLORISSANT

19%

ROCKWOOD 12%

KIRKWOOD 7%

JENNINGS 5%

PATTONVILLE 4%

CLAYTON 3%

LANGUAGE IMMERSION

3%

BRENTWOOD 2%

OTHER 4%

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Pilot Survey Overview

Pre and post surveys administered at the beginning and end of afterschool chess clubs in Fall 2015

Purpose:

Measure demographic characteristics of students

Measure if the Chess Clubs are increasing interest in chess and confidence in chess-playing ability

Measure if Chess Clubs increase students’ confidence to take on difficult tasks and challenge themselves.

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Overview of Student Survey Data

Student Characteristics

Percent female 35.9%

Percent Hispanic 2.5%

Percent white 26.3%

Percent Black 54.0%

Percent other ethnicity 17.3%

Average grade level 4.9

Number of pre-surveys 292

Number of post-surveys 174

Matched surveys (pre & post) 118

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Summary of Findings

Over a third of all students had never played chess. An additional third had only played a few times.

Pre-Post surveys find that participation in Chess Club: Significantly increases playing chess with family & friends

Significantly increases confidence in chess-playing abilities

Increases plans to sustain chess-playing into adulthood

Post surveys find: 81% of students look forward to school more on days when they have

Chess Club

81% of students report they would recommend Chess Club to a friend

Nearly 90% of students report that their experience in Chess Club will motivate them to take on difficult tasks and challenge themselves more in the future

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Previous Chess Background

36% 37%

26%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

Never Few Times Many Times

In the past, have you ever played chess?

Note: N= 118. Based on analytic sample with complete pre and post surveys.

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Have you ever played chess with a member of your family?

44%

36%

21%

25%

44%

31%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

No A few times Many times

Pre Post

PRE POST DIFF ES %CHG P-VAL 1.77 2.03 +0.26** 0.34 +0.15 0.00

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Have you ever played chess with a friend outside of school?

71%

16% 13%

53%

30%

17%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

No A few times Many times

Pre Post

PRE POST DIFF ES %CHG P-VAL 1.42 1.60 +0.18* 0.26 +0.13 0.02

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Chess is something I am good at.

17% 19%

37%

27%

2%

6%

40%

53%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

Pre Post

PRE POST DIFF ES %CHG P-VAL 2.74 3.48 +0.73** 0.70 +0.27 0.00

12

I am confident in my ability to play chess.

10% 5%

27%

58%

2% 6%

24%

68%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

Pre Post

PRE POST DIFF ES %CHG P-VAL 3.33 3.59 +0.26** 0.27 +0.08 0.01

13

I find chess confusing.

36%

27% 25%

12%

65%

19%

12%

3%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

Pre Post

PRE POST DIFF ES %CHG P-VAL 2.13 1.56 -0.57** -0.55 -0.27 0.00

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I will play chess when I am an adult.

PRE POST DIFF ES %CHG P-VAL 2.97 3.17 +0.20** 0.23 +0.07 0.01

9% 13%

50%

28%

3%

16%

38%

42%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

Pre Post

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9% 10%

25%

56%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

I look forward to school more on days when I have Chess Club.

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I would tell my friends they should join Chess Club.

6%

13%

29%

52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

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Being in Chess Club has taught me that I can complete difficult tasks if I work hard.

4% 7%

30%

59%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

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Being in Chess Club has made me more confident that I can learn difficult material.

4%

10%

35%

52%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

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My experiences in Chess Club make me want to challenge myself more in the future.

2%

10%

26%

62%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Strongly disagree Somewhat disagree Somewhat agree Strongly Agree

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Conclusion and Next Steps

The Saint Louis Chess Club and Scholastic Center’s afterschool programs are producing numerous positive impacts for the students they serve.

Deeper and more rigorous data collection and evaluation techniques will shed more light on the potential benefits.

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