Afterschool: A Bipartisan Solution to Help Young People Thrive

At a time of deep partisan divides, Afterschool Alliance surveys have found an area of consensus around support for afterschool and summer learning programs. Across the political spectrum, parents identifying as Democratic, Independent, and Republican strongly agree that afterschool and summer learning programs are keeping kids safe, inspiring learning, and providing peace of mind to working parents, with overwhelming majorities in favor of public funding for such programs. Surveys of parents of school-age children before and during the pandemic demonstrate the value parents place on afterschool and summer learning programs, regardless of political affiliation. Even with the high levels of support for afterschool, gaps remain, and there are 24.7 million children—more than the populations of Kansas, Ohio, and Virginia combined—who would be enrolled in a program if one were available to them.

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