Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL) 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 young person individualized support in small classroom settings (with a student-toteacher ratio no greater than eight to one).

An Urban Institute random assignment evaluation conducted in 2006 found that participants in BELL’s summer program showed greater reading skills gains compared with the control group. 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.

Youth Served

Total Revenue (in millions)

Outcomes: After School Program

Number of failing students advancing to a higher performance category
(on a standardized academic proficiency scale), with 90% of all students advancing

Number of students advancing to proficient or advanced performance levels
(on a standardized academic proficiency scale), with 75% of all students advancing

Outcomes: Retention

Number of participants retained year-to-year