Afterschool and summer school programs can increase the achievement of at-risk students by an average of four percentage points on reading and math tests, according to a recent analysis by Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL). Although these effects may seem minor at first glance, McREL's researchers say they are important because most out-of-school-time (OST) programs occur over a relatively short period of time and focus on students of low socioeconomic status, who tend to struggle most.