The Importance of Afterschool Programs

Where are your kids after 3PM?What are they doing?

Do you really know the answer to these questions?

OR

The Facts

According to the America After 3PM 2009 study, 15 million children (more than 1/4 of our

children) are alone and unsupervised after school.

More than 1 million of these students are in grades K-5.

(Afterschool Alliance, 2009)

The parents of 18 million children would enroll their child in an afterschool program

if one were available. (America After 3PM, 2009)

• There has been an increase of nearly 3 million children over the last five years that are participating in an afterschool program.

• There has also been an increase of 800,000 children being left alone.

(America After 3PM, 2009)

The hours between 3PM and 6PM are the peak hours for juvenile crime and experimentation with drugs, alcohol, cigarettes and sex.

(Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, 2002)

The federal government only contributes 11% to the cost of afterschool programming.

Funding

Amount Federal Government Contributes

Amount Left to Cover with Grant Funding

(Afterschool Alliance, 2009)

While 29% of children in afterschool programming meet the federal

government’s definition of low-income and are in-need of federal assistance.

Comparison between Funding and Children in Need

Amount of Children in afterschool that are low income

Amount of money contributed by the federal government

(Afterschool Alliance, 2009)

The Benefits

An analysis of 73 afterschool studies concluded that afterschool programs using evidence-

based approaches were consistently successful in producing multiple benefits for youth, including improvements in children's

personal, social and academic skills, as well as their self-esteem.

(The Collaborative for Academic, Social,and Emotional Learning, 2007)

The Promising Afterschool Programs Study found that regular participation in high-quality

afterschool programs is linked to significant gains in standardized test scores and work

habits as well as reductions in behavior problems among disadvantaged students.

(University of California at Irvine, 2007)

Annual performance report data from 21st CCLC grantees across the country demonstrated that students attending 21st CCLC programs improved their reading (43 percent) and math grades (42 percent). Students who attended more regularly were more likely to improve their grades and their performance on state assessments. (Learning Point Associates, November 2007)

• The Promising Afterschool Programs Study, a study of about 3,000 low-income, ethnically-diverse elementary and middle school students, found that students reported improved social and behavioral outcomes.

• Elementary students reported reductions in aggressive behavior towards other students and skipping school, and middle school students reported reduced use of drugs and alcohol, compared to their routinely unsupervised peers.(Policy Studies Associates, Inc., 2007)

A study measuring the health and social benefits of afterschool programs found that controlling for baseline obesity, poverty status, and race and ethnicity, the prevalence of obesity was significantly lower for afterschool program participants (21 percent) compared to nonparticipants (33 percent).

(Mahoney, J., Lord, H., & Carryl, E., Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc, 2005)

What’s Being Done to Increase Afterschool Programs

• Afterschool for All is an initiative that brings together individuals and organizations from across the nation who support the vision that all children and youth deserve access to quality, affordable afterschool programs.

• There are thousands of Afterschool for All partners including governors, mayors, police chiefs, parents, educators, universities and organizations, such as the YMCA of the USA, the NAACP, the National Council of La Raza, the National PTA, the National League of Cities, AARP, 100 Women in Hedge Funds, Time Warner, IBM, the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL and the US Conference of Mayors. (Afterschool Alliance, 2009)

Lights on Afterschool is a annual, nationwide event that recognizes afterschool programs at 7,500+ different events. Events are held throughout the U.S. to recognize and bring awareness to local afterschool programs and their importance and benefits.

The 11th Annual Lights on Afterschool date is October 21, 2010. The Marion County local event will be held at Middletown Mall, Fairmont, WV.

Please be sure to support your local afterschool programs! They fill a definite need in every community. They are also helping to shape and change lives one child at a time!

Created by:Rachel Kellar

FSU

Sources:Afterschool Alliance