In the 2018-2019 school year, to assess our impact, we conducted two third-party evaluations of our in-school program. Both evaluations showed positive results!

“Evaluating the of Effects of a Chess-Based Program on 3rd Grade Students in New York City,” by Dr. Julie Poncelet of Columbia University.
An evaluation of the effects of the Chess in the Schools Program. The study analyzed data from 441 students, 26 teachers, and 10 CIS instructors.
Key findings:
CIS Program’s most significant effects are on students’:
• Chess Ability
• Self-Management Skills
• Social Emotional Persistence
• Academic Self-Efficacy
• Social Emotional Mastery
Beyond the chess board: Teachers report improvements in their students’ skills in:
• Math understanding
• Reasoning
• Cooperation
• Concentration
• Classroom behavior

“Evaluation of SEL Capacities in Younger Youth,” by Hello Insight.
An evaluation measuring the effects on the following social and emotional learning capacities: Self-Management, Social Skills, Academic Self-Efficacy, and Mastery Orientation. The study analyzed data from 105 3rd grade students.
Key findings:
97% of students made meaningful gains in one or more SEL capacities!
47% of students made gains in all 4 capacities!
We are proud that our work with low-income NYC children teaches them chess, AND MORE!
Chess in the Schools: “Helping kids grow, one move at a time.”