
HOME	NEWS	EVENTS	TAKE ACTION	JOIN VOICES	PARTNER NEWS & EVENTS

Home > Youth Development > Ohio Afterschool Network

Ohio Afterschool Network Website

Ohio Afterschool Network

Here’s what we know about afterschool programs in Ohio: they work, and there aren’t enough of them.

Thirty percent of those children have no adult supervision afterschool, but only 6% are able to benefit from afterschool programs. However, approximately 24% of Ohio school-age children would be enrolled in afterschool programs if they were affordable and conveniently located.

Not only do parents want better afterschool options, but numerous research studies show that afterschool programs benefit the entire community by reducing the rate at which young people commit or are victims of crime in the hours of 3-6 pm; improving school attendance; and making it possible for parents to work without being distracted by concern for their children’s safety.

We also know that kids who attend high-quality afterschool programs frequently over time succeed during the school day as well. In 2005 Kent State University evaluated Perkins Activities Central, an afterschool program funded by The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation at a city middle school in Akron. The evaluation showed that more than 60% of seventh graders who attended the program frequently passed the Ohio Achievement Test (OAT) in reading, compared to only 45% of those who didn’t attend the afterschool program. Among eighth graders, the difference was even more dramatic: more than 64% of frequent attenders passed the eighth grade reading OAT, compared to 45% of non-PAC students.

A study published October 2007 found that both elementary and middle school students enrolled in high-quality after-school programs and other structured activities, compared to students who were largely unsupervised in the after-school hours, experienced relative gains in their math achievement test scores, work habits at school, and compliance at home, and relative reductions in misconduct. Elementary program participants also experienced relative gains in grades, task persistence, social skills, pro-social behavior, and reductions in aggressive behavior, compared to their classmates who were unsupervised after school. The report, conducted by Dr. Deborah Vandell and Kim Pierce of the University of California and Elizabeth Reisner of Policy Study Associates, found that middle school program participants reported relative reductions in their use of substances (alcohol, tobacco, drugs) compared to their unsupervised classmates.

Clearly, when we invest in afterschool programs, we invest in the success of our young people.

The mission of the Ohio Afterschool Network is to support children, youth, families, and communities by advocating and building capacity with a unified voice for sustainable investments in safe, healthy, and nurturing afterschool experiences. OAN and Voices encourage the over 500 OAN members to advocate for the necessity of afterschool programs and extended learning opportunities in Ohio. To learn how to become a member of the OAN or how to receive updates, visit the OAN website (link provided on the right).