Texas parents give programs high marks, but cost, accessibility out of reach for some
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Five in six Texas parents who want afterschool programs for their children are unable to enroll them, in many cases because programs are too expensive, unavailable, or inaccessible, according to a household survey commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance America After 3PM finds that 76% of Texas parents with a child in an afterschool program rate it as excellent or very good, and there is overwhelming support among Texas parents for public funding for these programs.
Overall in Texas, the parents of 3,311,529 children want afterschool programs but just 581,120 children are enrolled, the new study finds.
Approximately 9 in 10 Texas parents favor public funding for afterschool opportunities. Large majorities of parents in the state say these programs keep kids safe, build their social skills and responsible decision making, and help parents keep their jobs and boost their productivity at work Conducted by Edge Research, the fifth edition of America After 3PM is based on a survey of 30,515 U.S. parents of school-age children who live in their households, including in-depth interviews with 2,123 in Texas. The study examines 20 years of data and is the first afterschool household survey conducted post-pandemic.
It finds that nationally, the parents of 29.6 million children want afterschool programs but just 7 million children are enrolled, meaning three in four (77%) students whose parents want afterschool programs for them are being left behind.
Children in low- and middle-income families are more likely to be without the afterschool programs their parents want (84% and 73%, respectively) than children in high-income families (59%).
“Parents recognize that programs in Texas are doing outstanding work,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “In Texas and across the country, afterschool programs are giving students a safe place to go after the school day ends, boosting their academic achievement ... and giving working parents peace of mind, and much more.
“Every child deserves access to a quality afterschool program but sadly, this study shows we’re far from reaching that goal,” Grant said. “We need greater support from federal, state and local governments, businesses, and philanthropy to change that.”
“This study is an urgent call to action to Texas and federal leaders to increase funding and capacity, so all families will be able to access afterschool programs,” said Jenna Courtney, chief executive officer of the Texas Partnership for Out of School Time.
“We are very proud that Texas is a top 10 state for parental recognition of the benefits afterschool programs provide. But when 2,730,408 Texas children whose parents want them to be in afterschool programs are not, it’s clear we have more work to do,” Courtney added. In most respects, Texas results mirror national America After 3PM findings, which include:
• Access is uneven by age. More than half the elementary schoolers not in an afterschool program (58%) would be if a program were available, as would 49% of middle school students, their parents say.
• Cost is the greatest challenge, for families whose child is not in an afterschool program. A full 56% cite cost as an important factor preventing them from enrolling their child.
These parents cite accessibility as another primary barrier, with 49% saying their child does not have a safe way to get to and come home from afterschool programs and 48% saying program locations are inconvenient. And four in 10 of these parents (42%) report a lack of programs in their communities.
Satisfaction among parents with students in afterschool programs is high. Nearly all parents are satisfied with their child’s afterschool program (95%) and rate the quality of the program as excellent, very good, or good (97%).
Parents recognize the benefits for children: safety, skills, school engagement and well-being. The percentage of parents who agree that afterschool programs keep kids safe and out of trouble grew from 66% in 2014 to 78% now.
More than 8 in 10 parents agree that afterschool programs provide opportunities to learn life skills, like interacting with peers and responsible decision making (85%). And three-quarters of parents (75%) agree afterschool programs help children become more excited about learning and improve their attendance.
Parents say afterschool programs support working families. Almost 85% say programs provide working parents with peace of mind knowing that their children are safe and supervised, and 84% agree these programs allow them to keep their jobs or work more hours. 88% of parents with a child in an afterschool program say that it boosts their productivity and 92% say they are less stressed knowing their child is safe.
“Every child deserves access to a quality afterschool program but sadly, this study shows we’re far from reaching that goal.”
— Jodi grant, Afterschool Alliance Executive Director
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