Impact of Catch-up Clubs on math and social-emotional learning in El Salvador

This impact evaluation assesses the effectiveness of Save the Children’s Catch-up Clubs (CuCs) in improving math and social-emotional learning (SEL) outcomes for children in El Salvador. Implemented across seven municipalities in Sonsonate and La Paz, the CuCs program targeted children aged 9-12 at risk of falling behind academically. The evaluation employed a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) design to compare the impact of two models: a standard paper-based approach (PCuCs) and a digital application-based approach (DCuCs). Findings indicated that both models led to improvements in math outcomes compared to the control group, although impacts were quite modest, with the PCuCs group showing slightly greater gains than the DCuCs. The impact on SEL outcomes was less clear, with no significant differences compared to the control group. But with evidence from the qualitative data suggesting that facilitators observed improvements in children’s emotional skills. These findings should be considered in the context of potentially significant fidelity and implementation quality issues, particularly with the digital application which might have severely limited the potential impact of the DCuCs group. Despite these challenges, qualitative data suggest in general positive perceptions of the program among facilitators and children, highlighting CuCs as a promising intervention for addressing learning gaps.