Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/five-things-you-need-to-know-about-afterschool-in-the-united-states/5023166/
School-age children, especially those between the ages of four and twelve, want engaging places to spend their time out-of-school. Parents want to know their children are learning and safe after school. Given the importance of this growing field, here are five things you should know about afterschool:
1.Demand is growing steadily. More and more families are coming to rely on afterschool programs, and the demand for services continues to outpace the supply (America After 3 PM, 2014):
- In 2014, 10.2 million children (18%) participated in an afterschool program, an increase from 6.5 million (11%) in 2004.
- Nearly 1 in 4 families currently has a child enrolled in an afterschool program.
- In 2014, approximately 19.4 million children (41%) not currently in an afterschool program would be enrolled in a program if one were available to them, according to their parents.
- For every child in an afterschool program, approximately two children would be enrolled if a program were available to them.
2.Demand is highest among low-income households. There are distinct differences in afterschool program participation and demand across income levels and ethnicity (America After 3 PM, 2014):
- The demand for afterschool programs is much higher among low-income families than families that do not qualify for the Federal Free or Reduced Price Lunch ...