Full STEM Ahead! New America After 3PM special report on STEM released

Last week, we released our first ever special report on afterschool science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning based on our 2014 America After 3PM survey data. Full STEM Ahead: Afterschool Programs Step Up as Key Partners in STEM Education is the first comprehensive look at parental perceptions of STEM programming offered by afterschool providers and examines demand, access and satisfaction both nationally and by state.

Responding to the national priority on improving STEM education and recognizing that hands-on, inquiry-driven learning is a natural fit for the afterschool setting, afterschool providers have enthusiastically embraced offering STEM learning in afterschool. While observations of the afterschool field have led us to believe that the number of afterschool STEM programs has been on the rise, the America After 3PM data presented in Full STEM Ahead confirms those observations. 

Key findings of the report are as follows:

• STEM programming has become widespread in afterschool. Nearly 7 in 10 parents with children in afterschool report that their children participate in STEM learning in their afterschool programs.
• Parents consider STEM as a factor when choosing their child’s afterschool program. More than half of parents with children in afterschool report that STEM was an important factor in selecting their child’s program.
• There is a high level of satisfaction with afterschool STEM programming. 8 in 10 parents whose children participate in afterschool STEM programs are satisfied with the STEM offerings.
• Parents believe afterschool programs activate interest in STEM. 65% of all parents agree that afterschool programs can help children gain STEM-related interests and skills and 70% of parents think that afterschool programs should offer STEM learning opportunities for young people. 
• Afterschool programs help all children access STEM learning, regardless of where they live. They reach children from populations that are traditionally underrepresented in STEM and help to engage them in these fields.   
  • 69% of both boys and girls participate in afterschool STEM learning and parents of both genders report similar satisfaction with the STEM offerings.
  • Parents of children from low-income families express stronger support for afterschool STEM programs in comparison to higher-income families.
  • African-American and Hispanic parents have a more positive opinion of and experience with afterschool STEM programs compared to Caucasian parents. 60% of African-American and 57% of Hispanic parents consider the availability of STEM programs as an important factor when choosing their child’s afterschool program, compared to 47% of Caucasian parents.

While the findings are very encouraging, we need to remember that for every child in a program, two more are waiting to get in. Additional investments in afterschool programming would allow another 20 million children to participate in STEM programs and access opportunities to engage in STEM. The report discusses challenges and makes a few recommendations, a few of which are listed below:

• Increase investment in afterschool programs.
• Engage and educate parents about the important role that high-quality afterschool programs can play in supporting STEM learning.
• Strengthen partnerships between the larger STEM education community and afterschool programs to increase and improve afterschool STEM programming.
• Increase technology and engineering programming available in afterschool.

For more details, please read the full report. You can also download the Executive Summary for a shorter read that gives you just the key findings.

Check out the interactive dashboard where you can see national and state-level data and download state fact sheets; and share, tweet, or pin the STEM infographic! If you're planning a STEM-rich Lights On Afterschool event, spread the word with STEM-themed Lights On social media posts.

Feeling inspired to use this data and talk up afterschool STEM to your partners, parents, and other stakeholders? Take a look at our brand new website – the Afterschool STEM Hub has resources and tools to make the case for expanding and supporting innovative and engaging informal STEM learning.