BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) provides intensive educational programming and academic support to students (grades K-8) most at risk of failing early in their academic careers, in elementary or middle school. Its after-school and summer programs are structured to provide each youth individualized support in small classroom settings (with a student-to-teacher ratio no greater than eight to one). Today, BELL serves over 10,000 youth every year in Massachusetts, New York, Michigan and Maryland.

Evaluation Status

Summer Program: High-Level Demonstrated Effectiveness

After-School Program: High-Level Apparent Effectiveness

An Urban Institute random assignment evaluation conducted in 2006 found that participants in BELL’s summer program showed greater reading skills gains compared to the control group. Full details of the evaluation, Impacts of a Summer Learning Program , can be found at the Urban Institute’s website. As part of its next phase of growth (outlined in its business plan), BELL plans to complete a third-party evaluation of its after-school program by 2011.

EMCF Investment

Since 2001, the Foundation has invested $6.5 million in BELL. It originally invested $1.25 million over two years in 2001. Based on BELL’s stellar performance stabilizing operations in New York and Baltimore and its continued strong presence in Boston, the Foundation decided to reinvest in BELL in 2007 ($5 million over four years).

For more information, visit BELL’s website at www.bellnational.org.