Afterschool Alliance Research

Preparing for Back to School and Navigating Summer in the Time of COVID-19 – Wave 2 (September 2020)

After six months in a COVID-19 world, with the continued uncertainty of when things will return to normal, this brief, Preparing for Back to School and Navigating Summer in the Time of COVID-19, combines findings from a survey of parents along with the second in a series of surveys of afterschool and summer providers to monitor the state of the afterschool field. The Wave 2 provider survey of 1,047 afterschool and summer program providers, conducted between July 20 and August 31, finds that providers are growing increasingly worried about their program’s long-term sustainability, but despite these struggles, programs continue to provide supports to the children and families in their communities, with strong majorities of parents believing in the value of afterschool and summer programs, as well as supporting public funding for these opportunities.

• Wave 2 Toplines
• Wave 1 and Wave 2 Comparison Toplines
• Parent Summer Survey Toplines
• Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 survey page

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Preventing Dropouts: The Important Role of Afterschool (2013)

Although much progress has been made in decreasing high school dropout rates nationally, over the last decade, significant gaps persist among states, races, income levels, and students with disabilities and limited English proficiency. This issue brief describes the national impacts of the dropout problem, identifies the risk factors, and evaluates how to address the dropout problem and ways afterschool programs can help.

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Promoting Civic Engagement Through Afterschool Programs (Nov 2018)

Civic engagement, which has been linked to positive short-term and long-term outcomes including a stronger connection to the community and improved wellbeing, starts with young people. This issue brief, created in partnership with the Center for Global Education at Asia Society, details the way in which afterschool and summer learning programs are promoting students’ civic dispositions, bringing lessons of democracy to life, and empowering youth to enact change. Accompanying this brief are five in-depth afterschool program profiles that highlight the different roles programs play to inspire youth to be knowledgeable, engaged, and civically minded individuals:

• Alternatives, Inc. and Equity Alliance MN’s Youth Executive Board: Helping students know their rights and responsibilities
• After-School All-Stars Hawaii Life Service Action Offering opportunities for students to take action
• YWCA New Britain House of Teens Program and YMCA of Port Angeles’ Youth and Government program: Providing authentic opportunities for students to lead and govern

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Summary

Promoting Promising Futures (March 2020)

Afterschool programs are providing integral developmental supports—from caring and supportive mentors to safe spaces where students build confidence and feel a sense of belonging—that are helping kids reduce risky behaviors, build healthy relationships, and improve engagement in school. During a critical period of development, afterschool programs are a part of a continuous system of support for youth and their families.

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Quality Afterschool: Helping Programs Achieve It and Policies Support It (2011)

For years, policy makers, program directors and parents have attested to the widespread benefits of afterschool, backing their claims with extensive research. Promoting quality in afterschool is one way to ensure researchers continue to find positive outcomes that encourage increased investments in programming. This brief highlights the positive impacts of high-quality afterschool programs and shares program characteristics, available tools, current support systems, and federal policies that can better boost quality in afterschool programs.

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Recent Evaluations of 21st Century Community Learning Centers Illustrate Wide Range of Benefits (July 2023)

This brief highlights a cross section of recently conducted statewide evaluations on 21st CCLC programs to illustrate the impacts of this initiative, which is accelerating academic growth, improving students' engagement in school and behavior in class, fostering well-being, and helping students thrive both in school and out.

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Recruiting and Retaining Older Youth in Afterschool (2009)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with MetLife Foundation, is proud to present the second of four issue briefs in this series examining critical issues facing older youth and the vital role afterschool programs play in addressing these issues. This brief highlights the importance of afterschool for older youth, the challenges providers face in recruiting and retaining older youth and the innovative strategies that programs have used to better serve older youth in afterschool.

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Resources

Explore a variety of resources on afterschool based on your needs—from to-the-point fact sheets to more in-depth issue briefs and reports to public opinion research.  

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Roadmap to Afterschool for All (2009)

With the Harvard School of Public Health and through support from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and the Atlantic Philanthropies, the Afterschool Alliance initiated the Roadmap to Afterschool for All, a scientific study assessing current investment in afterschool programs from the public sector, parents, foundations and businesses. The study also estimated the additional investment required to provide quality afterschool programs for all children. This study shows that funding of all types is insufficient, and the cost burden is falling heavily on parents, even among programs serving high-poverty children.

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September 2000 Alliance Poll of California Voters

September 2000 Alliance Poll of California Voters

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