SUMMARY
- The Afterschool Alliance, a national organization supporting afterschool programs, developed a report scoring all 50 states and the District of Columbia to determine which states have the best afterschool programs.
- Metrics used for the report include participation rates, parent satisfaction and number of hours students spend in afterschool programs each week on average. The report also noted that 83 percent of parents believe afterschool programs are crucial for keeping children safe and promoting greater success in educational and social environments.
- D.C. ranked second on the list, and was number one in child participation, with 35 percent of kids involved in afterschool programs. D.C. kids in these programs spend an average of nine hours per week in afterschool.
INSIGHT
Considering D.C. also ranks number one in the nation for children being left alone and unsupervised in afterschool hours, the fact that it has such strong afterschool programs available is extremely important, and there is always room for further growth. We at Flex Academies are proud to play a small role in helping kids find safe, positive afterschool programs in which they can participate and grow.
Afterschool programs protect children from potentially risky behaviors and keep them in a safe, supervised environment where they can explore their interests and grow a wide range of skills, from artistry and creativity to social skills and better studying habits.
