America After 3PM finds that unmet demand for afterschool programs among middle school youth reaches an all-time high

Last month, the Afterschool Alliance released the report, “Lost Opportunity: Afterschool in Demand, But Out of Reach for Many,” documenting data from the fifth edition of the America After 3PM study which found an immense demand from families for afterschool programs, parents’ high level of recognition for the value of programs for children and families, and the barriers preventing more families from enrolling their child in a program. This month, a new follow-up brief, “America After 3PM for Middle School Youth,” examines what afterschool program participation and unmet demand looks like for middle school students—a group who are at a pivotal time in their lives when research has found they struggle more with self-efficacy, self-management, and social awareness.

The brief finds that nearly 6.7 million middle school students have parents who want afterschool programs for them, but nearly 4 in 5—or 5.2 million middle schoolers—are being left behind. Highlights from the brief include:

1. Unmet demand for afterschool programs reaches a new high. Currently, nearly half of middle school students not in an afterschool program would be enrolled by their parents if one were available (49%), a 36% increase since 2004. This translates to 5.2 million middle schoolers who are not in an afterschool program, but whose parents want them to be.
    
2. Parents with a middle schooler report affordability, accessibility, and availability as barriers to enrolling their child in an afterschool program. A majority of parents of a middle schooler (56%) say that cost is an important reason why they did not enroll their child in a program, and nearly half report challenges such as their children not having a safe way to get to and come home from programs (48%) or inconvenient program locations (47%). Additionally, 41% report that programs are not available in their community. While parents reporting barriers is largely the same as 2020 levels, they are much more likely to report challenges than in 2014. One example is that while 56% of parents report cost as a barrier, similar to 2020 (57%), this is 13 percentage points higher than in 2014 when 43% of parents said cost was an important factor why their child wasn’t in an afterschool program. 
    
3. Parents of middle school students agree that afterschool programs benefit kids and families. An overwhelming majority of parents of middle schoolers say that programs help kids develop teamwork, critical thinking, and leadership skills (82%); allow children to spend more time on fun and educational activities and less time on screens (86%); provide opportunities to develop positive relationships with other students (83%); and support children’s mental health and well-being (78%).
    
4. Parents of middle schoolers in an afterschool program are extremely satisfied with their program’s quality and offerings. Satisfaction has reached an all-time high, with 95% of parents satisfied with their middle schooler’s afterschool program. And, more than 8 in 10 parents (84%) rate the quality of the program as “excellent” or “very good.” Parents are also satisfied with the qualities they value most in  an afterschool program, including a safe environment, knowledgeable and caring staff, supporting their child’s mental health and well-being, and opportunities to build confidence and critical skills like communication, leadership, and the ability to interact with their peers.

Read the full brief to learn more about what the after school hours look like for middle school youth, and visit the America After 3PM page to find more data on afterschool program participation nationally and in your state.