Parents value after-school programs, but demand far exceeds available capacity, particularly among low- and middle-income families,
Families want after-school programming for about 30 million school-aged children, according to an analysis by the Afterschool Alliance, an organization that promotes after-school programs. But only 7 million children are currently enrolled in such programs.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 more than three in four kids who are missing out on the after-school opportunities their parents want for them,鈥� Jodi Grant, the executive director of the Afterschool Alliance, told reporters at a live streamed event at the National Press Club on Wednesday.
The analysis relies on 20 years of data on after-school programs and a survey of a nationally representative sample of 30,515 parents of school-age children conducted by Edge Research between Jan. 31 and April 21. It鈥檚 the first attempt the alliance has made to measure access to programs since the COVID-19 pandemic, and researchers polled a large enough sample to provide state-by-state data on unmet demand.
Ninety-seven percent of parents with children in after-school programs rated the quality as excellent, very good, or good, and 85% agreed the programs 鈥減rovide opportunities to learn life skills, like interacting with peers and responsible decisionmaking.鈥�
As schools face continued, high levels of chronic absenteeism, 75% of parents surveyed agreed that after-school programs 鈥渉elp children become more excited about learning and interested in school, helping them improve their attendance in and attitude toward school.鈥�
There are benefits for parents as well: 84% of respondents said after-school programs help them keep their jobs or work more hours, and many reported lower stress levels when their children participate.
鈥淭oo many parents are scrambling to find out what their child is going to do after 3 p.m.,鈥� said Joshua Michael, the president of the Maryland state board of education.
Cost, access, and capacity are top barriers to after-school programs
Parents identified cost as the biggest hurdle to accessing after-school programs; 56% said it was an important factor preventing them from enrolling. Parents identified accessibility concerns, such as a lack of transportation or unsafe walking routes, as barriers. Forty-two percent of parents said their community does not have available programs.
Access varies by family-income levels. Eighty-four percent of children from low-income households鈥攖hose earning less than two-thirds of the U.S. median household income鈥攁re not enrolled despite parental interest. Among middle-income families (earning two-thirds to double the U.S. median income), 73% of children whose parents want them in programs are not enrolled. Among higher-income families (earning more than double the median income), 59% of children are missing out.
Families in the highest income bracket spend about nine times more on out-of-school-time activities as families in the lowest income bracket, the survey found.
To expand access to after-school programming, schools and community partners need to collaborate to address barriers like cost and transportation, advocates said. For example, a community program could partner with a school district to add a bus route serving participating students.
Advocates also urged lawmakers to increase federal after-school funding and protect current programs from cuts.
Annual funding for the $1.33 billion federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, which supports after-school and summer programs in low-income communities, has decreased by about $138 million over the last three years after adjusting for inflation, the Afterschool Alliance estimates.
The program, which serves about 1.4 million students in 10,000 communities, is one of 18 that President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration has recently proposed eliminating by combining their collective funding and cutting the total from $6.5 billion to $2 billion.
Survey results show the majority of parents from both political parties support public funding for after-school programs, Harrisonburg, Va., Mayor Deanna Reed, an after-school programs advocate, said at the Press Club event.
鈥淲e cannot afford for our federal dollars to disappear,鈥� Reed said. 鈥淭here are programs that cannot continue if we lose that funding. It is too important to our students and families.鈥�
