The Institute for Research and Professional Development (IRPD) found that Oasis Children's Services helps "students to minimize "summer loss" in the area of English Language Arts, thereby enabling students to start on a better foot when the school year begins."
The IRPD conducted research at Oasis's Summer Learning Centers at I.S. 55 and P.S. 298. The following results were based on analysis of children's school records, surveys, formal interviews and focus groups, as well as 2005 test results from New York City Department of Education's Division of Assessment and Accountability.
- During the summer of 2006 Oasis served 617 children from the Brownsville community.
- Oasis summer programs have a high return rate from year to year. Over 50% of Summer 2006 participants attended the previous summer; and 27% of Summer 2006 participants attend both Summer 2004 and 2005.
- In the spring of 2005, children who had participated in Oasis scored higher than the other children in District 23 on English Language Arts (ELA) and Math standardized tests.
- 67.5% of children who participated in Oasis scored at or above expectancy (Level 3 and 4) on the ELA tests compared to 45.4% of children in District 23.
- Math scores showed similar results with 63.1% of children who participated in Oasis scoring at or above expectancy compared to 44.1% of children in District 23.
- IRPD found an increase in test scores from 2004 to 2005 for children participating in Oasis. In 2005 children scoring at or above expectancy (Levels 3 and 4) on ELA and Mathematics standardized tests increased by 18.9% and 8.4%, respectively, from 2004.
- All children in District 23 of Region 5 improved from 2004 to 2005. Oasis participants, however, showed a significantly larger improvement on ELA scores, increasing by 7.9% more than their District 23 counterparts.
- The IRPD found that at every age level children at Oasis summer programs, "were encouraged to play with language in age-appropriate, imaginative activities that connect written language to art, science, daily camp experiences, and the performing arts" and that "the use and production of poetry were rampant in the program."