May 24, 2004

Mayors across the country have taken a leadership role in their communities to establish and expand afterschool and out-of'school time programs because they understand the implications for their city. A study funded by the JC Penny Afterschool Fund entitled America After 3 PM: A Household Survey on Afterschool in America was released by the Afterschool Alliance on May 19. Representing mayors at the press conference and release of the report was Providence Mayor David Cicilline.

In his remarks at the press conference, Cicilline stated "afterschool is a community responsibility that provides parents with options and students with opportunities. Afterschool is all about the well being of our children and families in our cities and this should be a high priority on everyone's agenda."

The study found that the nation continues to fail to give a majority of children safe, supervised activities during the often-dangerous afternoon hours (3 to 6 PM). Demand still far outweighs the supply is a primary message of the report.

This is the most in-depth study ever that explored how America's children spend their afternoons. The survey found that 14.3 million Kindergarten through 12th graders take care of themselves after the school day ends. This translates to 1 in 4 children. Almost four million middle school students (grades six to eight) and 5.96 million high school students are unsupervised in the afternoons.

The study also found that only 6.5 million children or 11 percent of the nation's youth are enrolled in afterschool programs. This is only 1 in 9 children enrolled in grades K — 12. Parents of another 15.3 million or 30 percent of the children say they would have their children participate if there was a program available. What is interesting is that of these parents 53 percent are African-American, 44 percent are Hispanic and only 23 percent are Caucasian. The paucity of afterschool programs forces parents to make some very difficult choices.

As part of the release, the Afterschool Alliance announced a new initiative — Afterschool for All: Project 2010 — with the purpose of increasing funding and participation in afterschool. The U.S. Conference of Mayors and 26 mayors are among 250 national groups and individual leaders that have signed on as partners in support of Project 2010. The goal is that all children and youth should have access to high-quality, safe and enriching afterschool programs by the year 2010.

The mayors who have signed on as partners for Project 2010 are: Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, Salt Lake City Mayor Ross Anderson; Fresno Mayor Alan Autry, Berkeley (CA) Mayor Tom Bates, Anchorage Mayor, Mark Begich, Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, Providence Mayor David Cicilline, New Haven Mayor John DeStefano, Miami Mayor Manuel Diaz, West Palm Beach Mayor, Lois Frankel, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, Dearborn Mayor Michael Guido, Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn, Albany (NY) Mayor Gerald Jennings, Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, Stamford (CT) Mayor Dannel Malloy, Buffalo Mayor Anthony Masiello, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, Arlington Heights (IL) Mayor Arlene Mulder, Virginia Beach Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, Long Beach (CA) Mayor Beverly O'Neill, Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic, Rockford (IL) Mayor Douglas Scott, Cambridge (MA) Mayor Michael Sullivan and San Leandro (CA) Mayor Sheilia Young, and the First Lady of Chicago Maggie Daley.

If additional mayors are interested in signing on as a partner, please contact Jenny Austin at 212-548-0309 or jaustin@sorosny.org. You can get more information about the initiative on www.afterschool2010.org.

The study also indicated that 91 percent of parents with children in afterschool programs are extremely or somewhat satisfied with the programs. It was also found that the largest providers of these programs are YMCAs, religious groups, cities and towns, and Boys & Girls Clubs. On average a family spends $22 per week for afterschool programs. For those not participating in these supervised programs, it is likely they are at greater risk of becoming involved in crime, substance abuse, gangs and teenage pregnancy.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors continues to support increased funding for this program because of its vital importance to the education, recreation, and development of a city's youth. Federal funding for afterschool has been at a $1 billion level for several years under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) even though it is authorized to receive an appropriation of $2 billion