Polling and Survey Data

Uncertain Times for Afterschool Programs: Concerns Over Sustainability, Students' Well-Being, and Federal Actions Top of Mind (April 2026)

Rising concerns about funding, program sustainability, and young people’s well-being are the key themes that are highlighted in this brief, based on a survey of 1,005 afterschool program providers representing more than 6,500 programs, conducted October 27 through December 22, 2025. Additionally, the brief finds that providers who were impacted by federal government actions, such as the fall 2025 government shutdown or the withholding of education funding during the 2025 summer, are more likely to be concerned about sustainability and their students' well-being. This is the 12th wave in the survey series tracking the afterschool field.

Download
Featured

Voters Say Afterschool Programs are a Necessity (February 2025)

A national poll of registered voters finds that public support for afterschool programs is at an all-time high. The fact sheet highlights findings from a poll conducted by Lake Research Partners and New Bridge Strategy, December 4-11, 2024, including 87% of voters agree that afterschool programs are an absolute necessity for communities, and 85% want their newly elected federal, state, and local leaders to provide more funding for afterschool programs. Support for afterschool programs is strong across demographic groups.

Download
Topline

Afterschool Programs Support Learning Recovery But Struggle with Staffing and Program Costs (April 2024)

A survey of 1,116 afterschool program providers, conducted between October 31 and December 5, 2023, finds that afterschool programs are keeping young people connected, engaged, and inspired, but also continue to face challenges largely due to staffing and program costs. For programs that have been able to obtain federal pandemic relief funds, these funds have helped them keep their doors open, take steps to enhance staff recruitment and retention efforts, serve more students, and expand programming. However, as the end of this federal funding approaches, providers are very concerned about their future sustainability.

Download
Featured

Then and Now: A Retrospective on the Afterschool in the Time of Covid-19 Survey Series - Waves 1-9 (July 2023)

Over the course of the past three years, the U.S. has gone through a tumultuous time, from statewide stay-at-home orders in March 2020 to the recent end of the national and public health emergency declarations. We are grateful to the afterschool community for being generous with their time and responding to our series of surveys in the midst of this challenging time. This dashboard provides an overview of the afterschool field’s changing landscape as it responded to the immediate needs of the children and families they served.

Read Resource
Featured

Afterschool Programs Open, but Still Recovering Post-Pandemic (February 2023)

In a survey of 1,016 afterschool program providers, conducted between October 24 and November 30, 2022, more than 9 in 10 report that they are open, with majorities providing their students with opportunities for academic enrichment, collaboration and connection with their peers, building foundational skills, and leadership opportunities. However, while providers are increasingly reporting that they have been able to return to pre-COVID capacity limits, there are still nearly 1 in 4 providers who say that they have not been able to return to their regular operational capacity.

Download
Featured Topline

Parents and Voters Support Afterschool and Summer for All (February 2023)

In a second brief highlighting results from an online poll of registered voters, conducted by Lake Research Partners November 9-14, 2022, this document includes both voter and parent opinions on afterschool and summer programs. It finds strong support for afterschool and summer programs, as well as high levels of agreement that programs are a valuable partner for schools.

Download
Featured Topline

Voters Agree: Afterschool Programs are a Priority (January 2023) 

A new poll of voters, conducted November 9-14, 2022, finds united support for afterschool programs. This brief highlights voter trend data regarding attitudes toward afterschool programs and illustrates the strong approval rating afterschool programs have from voters across political affiliations, races, ethnicities, and ages.

Download
Featured Topline

Afterschool: A Bipartisan Solution to Help Young People Thrive (October 2022)

At a time of deep partisan divides, Afterschool Alliance surveys of parents of school-age children before and during the pandemic have found an area of consensus around support for afterschool and summer learning programs. Across the political spectrum, parents identifying as Democratic, Independent, and Republican strongly agree that afterschool and summer learning programs are keeping kids safe, inspiring learning, and providing peace of mind to working parents, with overwhelming majorities in favor of public funding for such programs.

Download
Featured

Navigating Afterschool Challenges in 2022 - Wave 7 (July 2022)

This dashboard includes findings from the seventh wave of the Afterschool Alliance's Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 series, conducted in spring 2022. Ninety-seven percent of providers across the country report that their programs were open in some capacity this year, but staffing remains a top concern, with almost 7 in 10 providers saying they are extremely or very concerned about finding staff to hire/staffing shortages, and 51 percent reporting waiting lists for their programs.

Read Resource
Featured

Summer 2022 Outlook From Program Providers (June 2022)

As the end of the school year approaches and families face another pandemic summer, this brief highlights findings from a new survey of 948 program providers, conducted between March 21 and April 12, 2022. The seventh wave of Afterschool Alliance’s Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 series brings encouraging news that providers are more likely to report that they will be open and operating in person this summer. However, providers also anticipate challenges, with staffing being a primary concern.

Download
Featured