NJ A Top 10 State for Afterschool Programs

Afterschool Alliance Survey of New Jersey Households Finds Marked Increase in Afterschool Enrollment Since 2004, But Also Vast Unmet Demand for Afterschool Programs

Comparatively strong participation in afterschool programs by New Jersey youth, along with high satisfaction rates among their parents, has landed the state in the Afterschool Alliance’s newly named “Top 10 States for Afterschool” list. The ranking is based on data from the landmark America After 3PM study, conducted for the Afterschool Alliance:

After School Care Arrangements

• 28% (421,824) of New Jersey’s K-12 children are responsible for taking care
of themselves after school. These children spend an average of 8 hours per
week unsupervised after school.

• 14% (213,883) of New Jersey’s K-12 children participate in afterschool
programs. On average, afterschool participants spend 11 hours per week in
afterschool programs. Participation averages 3 days per week.

• 67% of New Jersey K-12 children spend some portion of the hours after
school in the care of a parent or guardian.

• Other care arrangements include traditional child care centers (12%), sibling
care (14%) and non-parental adult care, such as a grandparent or neighbor
(37%).

Notes: The maximum amount of time in after school care arrangements is limited to 15 hours
per week, which reflects the after school hours of 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. Care arrangements add
up to greater than 100% due to multiple regular care arrangements for many children.

Satisfaction with and Support for Afterschool Programs

• 95% of New Jersey parents are satisfied with the afterschool program their
child attends.

• New Jersey parents cited convenient location (78%), child enjoyment (74%)
and quality of facilities (71%) as their top three reasons for selecting an
afterschool program.

• 90% of adults surveyed in New Jersey agree that there should be “some type
of organized activity or place for children and teens to go after school every
day that provides opportunities to learn” and 80% support public funding for
afterschool programs.

Need or Demand for Afterschool

• 35% (444,995) of all New Jersey children not in afterschool would be likely
to participate if an afterschool program were available in the community,
regardless of their current care arrangement.

• Parents of non-participants believe that their children would benefit most from
afterschool programs in the following ways: by having fun, staying safe and
out of trouble, improving their workforce skills, receiving academic
enrichment and improving their social skills.

“New Jersey is ahead of the pack on afterschool, and can be proud of that,” said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. “But the data also show another side of the story. The majority of New Jersey parents who want their kids in afterschool programs aren’t able to find them, usually because programs aren’t available, they can’t afford the fees, or transportation issues make it impossible. These are all barriers we can and should overcome. Quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Every New Jersey family that needs an afterschool program should have access to one.”

“We’re proud of the progress we’ve made in providing afterschool for New Jersey kids and families,” said Diane Genco, executive director, NJSACC, the network for New Jersey’s afterschool communities. “But this survey is a call to action – to many children who need afterschool programs don’t have them, and families are carrying a heavier burden as a result. That’s particularly difficult during these hard economic times. For afterschool programs to meet the huge unmet demand from families, they’re going to need more support from all sectors – from the business and philanthropic communities, as well as from the government at all levels.”

“This research confirms what we see every day, that afterschool programs are reaching only a fraction of the children and families that need them – and the recession is making matters worse,” said Afterschool Ambassador Diane Sellers, Executive Director of Haddonfield Child Care. “Afterschool programs make such a difference in children’s lives and futures. We simply must find a way to significantly expand the availability of afterschool programs.”

The “Top 10 States for Afterschool” in the new report are: Hawaii, Arizona, New York, California, New Jersey, Virginia, New Mexico, Florida, Texas and North Carolina.

In key respects, the New Jersey results from the America After 3PM study reflect national findings:

• The number and percentage of children participating in afterschool programs in the nation has increased significantly in the last five years, with 8.4 million children (15 percent) now participating. That compares with 6.5 million children in 2004 (11 percent).
• But the number of children left alone after the school day ends also has risen, to 15.1 million children (26 percent of school-age children) in 2009. That is an increase of 800,000 children since 2004. Thirty percent of middle schoolers (3.7 million kids) are on their own, as are four percent of elementary school children (1.1 million children).
• The parents of 18.5 million children (38 percent) not currently participating in an afterschool program would enroll their children in a program if one were available to them, a significant increase from the 15.3 million (30 percent) seen in 2004.
• The vast majority of parents of children in afterschool programs are satisfied with the programs their children attend, and overall public support for afterschool programs is similarly strong. Nine in 10 parents (89 percent) are satisfied with the afterschool programs their children attend. Eight in 10 parents support public funding for afterschool programs.