Thanks for helping us tell Congress that you believe that enrichment education should NOT just be for rich kids and to make sure that 21st CCLC funding is used solely for afterschool…not just for extended verbal and math learning time.
Who are my House and Senate representatives?
Find out their names and email addresses here.
Vital Stats
Students
- More than 15 million school-age children (26%) are on their own after school. Among them are more than 1 million in grades K-5. (Afterschool Alliance, 2009)
- Only 8.4 million K-12 children (15%) participate in afterschool programs. An additional 18.5 million would participate if a quality program were available in their community. (Afterschool Alliance, 2009)
Safety
- 9 out of 10 kids felt safe in afterschool according to CORAL
Supervision
- 3/4 of parents are less worried about kids when they’re in an afterschool program (LA’s BEST)
- 60% of parents miss less work because of their kids’ afterschool programs (TASC)
- 54% of parents say their kids’ afterschool programs allow them to work more hours (TASC)
Standards
- Promising Afterschool Programs surveyed 3000 kids in sites coast-to-coast, and found that kids in elementary and middle schools that participated in afterschool programs showed standardized testing gains of .52-.73
- Many other significant findings from the Promising Afterschool Programs Study here.
Supplemental Education
The focus between school bells is on getting answers RIGHT on standardized tests, while afterschool is more focused on learning through trial and error, as well as flexing creativity via interests and strengths, which is critical to success in both career and university. The diversified enrichment activities that are offered via afterschool programs help ensure that America will have a diversified workforce when this generation completes high school and/or college. Sir Ken Robinson’s TED Video helps give insight into the vital role that afterschool plays in the education of our youth.