The school year is rapidly approaching and teachers, parents, and students across the country are wrapping up back-to-school preparations. But as you gear up for the new school year- don't leave preparations or support for afterschool programs behind.

Statistics frequently show that enrolling children in afterschool programs increases student achievement, but according to the Afterschool Alliance, an afterschool awareness program, only 10.2 million children are annually enrolled in programs despite 23 million U.S. parents working outside the home.

"Years of evaluations have demonstrated that afterschool programs can improve students’ behavior, attendance, academic performance and more. These programs help children learn to work in teams, provide them with mentoring opportunities, and expose them to new experiences. In fact, a new wave of scholarship is focusing in on the important role that 'social capital' plays in children’s academic success," said Jodi Grant for RollCall.com.

Grant calls upon the House and Senate as they convene to work together to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to remember the importance of providing funding for afterschool programs, typically one of the first things that loses funding in the face of budget woes.

Many education experts also tout the importance of afterschool programs in closing the achievement gap. Providing afterschool programs to low-income families, they say, works to give these less fortunate children equal opportunity.

"Nearly 90 percent [of families] say they are satisfied with their child’s program. Driving that overwhelming approval is parents’ appreciation that these programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and help working families. Those are important considerations for all families, of course, but low-income parents have fewer alternatives available, so may find afterschool programs especially crucial," Grant said.

Some of the most important things afterschool programs can provide to children, according to Cliff Clark the CEO and founder of Discovery Point Child Development Centers, are:

• Safe environment
• Qualified staff
• Good teacher-to-student ratios
• Excellent adult-child interaction
• Varied activities
• Quiet time

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Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

08/11/2015