Unmet Demand for Afterschool Programs Reaches All-Time High
(StatePoint) Parents of
children enrolled in afterschool programs are happier with
their participation than ever before, according to a new
study. At the same time, there aren’t nearly enough programs
available, and students from low-income families are the
most likely to lack access. For every child in an
afterschool program today, three more are waiting to get in.
Commissioned by the
nonprofit Afterschool Alliance, and conducted by Edge
Research, “America After 3PM 2020” builds on household
surveys conducted in 2004, 2009 and 2014 and offers a
pre-pandemic snapshot of how youth spend their afternoons
that has significant implications for the post-pandemic
world.
The study finds that the
families of 24.6 million children -- more than ever before
-- are unable to access afterschool programming, with many
reporting cost as a barrier. It also exposes significant
inequities, with Black and Latinx children and low-income
households disproportionately affected.
“Quality afterschool
programs are essential to student success in school and
life. If we want to emerge from this pandemic strong, we
need to provide all youth access to the important enrichment
opportunities and resources afterschool programs provide.
We’re far from doing that now,” says Jodi Grant, executive
director of the Afterschool Alliance.
To further understand the
state of U.S. afterschool programs today, consider these
core findings from the report:
• Unmet demand is soaring.
Demand has grown 60% since 2004, from 15.3 million children
waiting to get into a program in 2004 to 24.6 million
children in 2020.
• Barriers to
participation grow. Sixty-one percent of low-income parents
report that cost is a barrier to enrolling their child in an
afterschool program, up from 50% in 2014. Access, such as a
lack of a safe way for their child to get to and from a
program, is a barrier for 58% of respondents.
• Inequities persist.
These barriers especially affect low-income families. The
number of children from low-income households in afterschool
fell from 4.6 million in 2014 to 2.7 million in 2020, while
the number of higher-income children in afterschool fell by
just under 450,000.
• Public support is
strong. Eighty-seven percent of parents support public
funding for afterschool programs in communities that have
few opportunities for children and youth, support that
crosses demographic and political divides. This may in part
be due to the growing recognition of the benefits programs
provide. Eighty-three percent of respondents agree programs
give working parents peace of mind, 81% agree programs help
parents keep their jobs, and 76% agree programs help
children gain interest and skills in STEM.
For low-income families,
the survey reveals that programs address additional needs,
such as providing children snacks and meals and offering
them skill-building workshops, as well as connecting
families to valuable community resources.
To view the full report,
visit afterschoolalliance.org/AA3PM.
“It’s unacceptable that
the parents of nearly 25 million students are struggling to
find or afford an afterschool program,” Grant said. “Every
parent should have access to an affordable, quality
afterschool program that will keep their child safe,
supervised and learning. We need more federal, state, local,
business and philanthropic support to meet the needs of
students and their families after school.”
|