Access to Afterschool Programs Remains a Challenge for Many Families

In a monumental step toward universal afterschool and summer learning programs, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona launched the Engage Every Student Initiative in July 2022. This call to action to ensure that every child has access to a quality out-of-school time program comes at a pivotal moment as children and communities continue to grapple with the difficult circumstances created by COVID-19, with the country now nearly 30 months into the pandemic and many program providers concerned that children in their community need afterschool programming but are unable to access it. A new survey of approximately 1,500 parents or guardians of school-age children provides a snapshot of the current afterschool program landscape, documenting that while children and families who are able to access afterschool programs report high levels of satisfaction, for every child in an afterschool program, there are four more who are waiting for an available program.*

Read the whole brief here.