This research study analyzed the impact of an early college readiness program (ECRP) on students' academic performance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) reading and mathematics assessments in Grades 3, 4, and 5. ECRP is a college readiness system designed to support students to reach postsecondary education. The ECRP program has been in existence since 1980. In 2016, ECRP launched a new component to the program aimed at elementary-level students (ECRP Elementary). There is limited research on the effects of ECRP Elementary on academic achievement. This study was designed to determine whether a school-based ECRP in Grades 3 through 5 helped to increase students' social capital through a positive impact on their academic achievement on the STAAR mathematics and reading assessments. Participants included all students in Grades 3, 4, and 5 in six elementary schools in one district, including 702 ECRP participants and 771 ECRP nonparticipants. The study employed a quantitative ex post facto nonexperimental casual-comparative research approach to compare academic performance by the groups to measure their relationship to the independent variable (ECRP participation) and dependent variables (STAAR reading and mathematics assessments). Results of dependent and independent t tests of the data indicated (a) statistically significant differences in the academic performance by fifth-graders, regardless of their participation in the ECRP program, (b) statistically significant differences in scores for special education ECRP participants and nonparticipants, and (c) statistically significant differences in scores for ECRP White students and ECRP Hispanic students. Findings related to grade level, economically disadvantaged status, gifted and talented status, and gender did not show statistically significant differences in scores for ECRP participants in comparison to ECRP nonparticipants. While the findings showed mixed results on the effects of the ECRP program on academic achievement, the results indicate that additional research should be considered to determine the impact of ECRP programs on younger students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]