New National Report Highlights Growing Need for Summer Learning Opportunities
This week, the Afterschool Alliance released new findings from its latest America After 3PM Summer Report, highlighting both the importance of summer learning opportunities and the growing challenges families face in accessing them.
The report, The Summer Struggle for Everyday Families: Affording the Opportunities Parents Want for Youth, found that while parents want summers filled with enrichment, exploration, physical activity, and positive social connections for their children, affordability remains the number one barrier preventing many families from accessing quality programs.
Among the report’s key findings:
Low- and middle-income families are significantly more likely to cite cost as a barrier to participation.
Parents place a high value on programs that provide safety, outdoor activities, confidence-building, physical activity, and reduced screen time during the summer months.
Families who are able to access summer programs report overwhelmingly positive experiences, with 96% of parents satisfied with their child’s summer experience.
Nearly 9 in 10 parents support public funding for summer learning opportunities.
These findings reinforce the critical importance of accessible, high-quality summer programming in our communities.
