Afterschool Alliance Research

Informing providers, advocates, and policymakers for 20 years

Delve into our vast collection of research resources that show afterschool programs are keeping kids safe, inspiring learning, and helping working families across the country. 

An integral component of Afterschool Alliance’s mission to ensure that all children have access to affordable, quality afterschool programs is research that assesses and examines the ways children spend their time during the afterschool hours, the opportunities afterschool programs provide the children and families in their communities, and the public support for these programs.

This section contains research materials the Afterschool Alliance has produced over the past 15 years. Find the resource that best fits your needs by searching by document type or by issue area. If you are interested in learning more about afterschool programs, explore Afterschool Essentials, or find out how many children are in afterschool programs by visiting the America After 3PM page. You can also search by issue topic and learn more about afterschool programs supporting young people in variety of areas and subjects, ranging from the arts to health and wellness to STEM. 

Date Title

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Library and Afterschool Partnerships (Sept 2017)

With the support of STAR_Net (the Science Technology Activities and Resources Library Education Network), a project of the Space Science Institute’s National Center for Interactive Learning (NCIL), and the American Library Association, the Afterschool Alliance surveyed 365 afterschool providers on their perceptions of public libraries, what kinds of partnerships they have, as well as ideas for future growth.

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Afterschool Providing Key Literacy Supports to English Language Learner Students (June 2017)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is proud to present this issue brief focusing on the integral supports afterschool programs provide to build English language learner (ELL) students’ literacy skills. In addition to this issue brief, which outlines the challenges facing ELL students and the opportunities participating in afterschool programs afford, six complementary in-depth afterschool program profiles highlight different roles programs play to engage ELL students:

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America After 3PM Special Report: Afterschool in Communities of Concentrated Poverty (August 2016)

This report examines the role that afterschool programs play in supporting families living in high-poverty areas and discusses the demand for afterschool programs in these areas along with families’ experiences with afterschool. Afterschool in Communities of Concentrated Poverty is presented as part of the third edition of America After 3PM, which spans a decade of household survey data chronicling how children spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m.

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Executive Summary

21st CCLC Facts and Figures (2017)

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs. This fact sheet provides an overview of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program, highlights its outcomes and benefits, and addresses the current state of funding.

21st CCLC Budget Congress State Policy

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summary

Afterschool Supports Students' Success (May 2016)

Afterschool programs across the county are inspiring learning, providing safe and supportive environments, and giving students the essential supports they need to succeed in school and beyond. This fact sheet and accompanying appendix highlights research that shows that afterschool programs are helping support students’ success.

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Appendix

Taking a Year-Round Approach to Literacy (March 2016)

The Afterschool Alliance, in partnership with Dollar General Literacy Foundation, is proud to present this issue brief focusing on the year-round support needed to help students with their reading, writing and critical thinking skills. This issue brief will also delve into the variety of ways afterschool and summer learning programs are taking a year-round approach to literacy, helping students catch up and keep up.

Issue Briefs Literacy

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The Growing Importance of Afterschool in Rural Communities (March 2016)

This report takes a closer look at the afterschool experience of children and families in rural communities, examines the ways in which programs are increasing opportunities for these students, and evaluates what more can be done to increase access to afterschool programming regardless of geographic location. The Growing Importance of Afterschool in Rural Communities is presented as part of the third edition of America After 3PM, which spans a decade of household survey data chronicling how children spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m.

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Executive Summary

Full STEM Ahead: Afterschool Programs Step Up as Key Partners in STEM Education (Sept 2015)

This report provides the first national look at access to afterschool STEM programs and parental attitudes towards such programs by outlining survey findings, identifying current challenges, and providing recommendations to improve afterschool STEM programming in the future. Full STEM Ahead is presented as part of the third edition of America After 3PM, which spans a decade of household survey data chronicling how children spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m.

STEM

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Executive Summary

Summer Learning Programs Help Kids Succeed (June 2015)

This fact sheet provides data on the current state of summer learning programs indicating that the demand and support for these programs are high. Summer Learning Programs Help Kids Succeed is presented as part of the third edition of America After 3PM, which spans a decade of household survey data chronicling how children spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m.

Summer Learning

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Kids on the Move: Afterschool Programs Promoting Healthy Eating and Physical Activity (March 2015)

This report discusses the current state of healthy eating and physical activity in afterschool, identifies areas for improvement, and provides recommendations moving forward. Kids on the Move is presented as part of the third edition of America After 3PM, which spans a decade of household survey data chronicling how children spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m.

Health and Wellness

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Executive Summary