In fact, nine out of ten Americans believe there should be organized activities for children and teens during after-school hours, according to data from national surveys conducted by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and JCPenney between 1998 and 2000. Americans support these programs for various reasons. For many senior citizens, after-school programs mean safer neighborhoods. Working parents want to make sure their children are safe and well-occupied. Increasing numbers of single mothers depend on such programs to be productive members of the workforce.
Political support is also strong.
Expanding after-school programming was one of the five top recommendations of the 1998 United States Conference of Mayors' National Summit, and one of the top three priorities for the National Governor's Association under the 1999 chairmanship of then Delaware Governor Thomas R. Carper. Conducted by George Mason University Profs., Steven Mastrofski and Scott Keeter. In California, one parent discusses how a community banded together to initiate the programs they needed. Major private foundations are increasingly recognising out-of school time as a program and funding priority. The Exploration and Resources sections of this workshop provide more information about funding.