Spotlight on New Hampshire

Spotlight on New Hampshire is the fourth installment of the Afterschool Alliance’s New England After 3 PM series, and the first to focus exclusively on afterschool in New Hampshire. Spotlight on New Hampshire finds an overwhelming majority of New Hampshire’s education leaders say that afterschool programs benefit students in their schools and districts, and that they are an absolute necessity for children and youth. The data come from an internet survey of New Hampshire public school principals and superintendents. Of the 500 education leaders surveyed, 214 responded.

Key findings:

• Nearly all respondents (99.5 percent) say it is important for older youth to have a safe haven and a coordinated offering of enriching activities after school.
• 96 percent of state education leaders agree that children in afterschool programs are more likely to attend school regularly, turn in homework on time, and improve their grades and test scores than similar students not in afterschool programs – and that afterschool students are more likely to be engaged in the classroom and less likely to drop out.
• While seven in ten respondents say their school or school district offers an afterschool program, 94 percent say there are students in their school or school district who would benefit from participating in an afterschool program but do not currently participate.
• Of those who do not have an afterschool program available in their school or school district, 38 percent of state education leaders say lack of resources or sufficient grant opportunities to support afterschool programs are the biggest barriers.
• More than half of respondents (58 percent) who say students in their school or district who would benefit from an afterschool program but are not in one cite the lack of transportation home as the top barrier that prevents kids from participating.
• Seven in ten say the federal government is not doing all it should to meet the need for afterschool programs in their communities. Sixty-four percent say their state government is not doing all it should to meet the need for afterschool programs in their communities.

Click here for the Spotlight on New Hampshire report.
Click here for the Spotlight on New Hampshire survey topline findings.
Click here for a press release about Spotlight on New Hampshire.
Click here to view the New England After 3 PM series.