More Kids Get STEM Content in After-School Programs
A new survey from the Afterschool Alliance reveals that 92% of after-school programs now offer STEM learning, a significant increase from previous years. However, millions of children still lack access to these programs due to cost and capacity constraints.
Why it matters
Expanding access to STEM education is critical for developing a future workforce and ensuring equitable opportunities for children across diverse communities.
The majority of after-school programs include STEM learning experiences, but millions of children are still unable to participate, causing them to miss out on opportunities to nurture their curiosity about the subjects, a new report concludes.
Ninety-two percent of parents with a child in an after-school program report that their provider offers opportunities for students to explore and learn about science, technology, engineering, or math, finds a nationally representative survey of 30,000 parents and guardians administered by the Afterschool Alliance between January and April.
That’s a significant increase from the other two times the advocacy organization asked the question: 69% of parents identified STEM opportunities in their child’s after-school program in 2014, and 73% in 2020.
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