Free universal after-school is an easy win in a world of problems

As tempting as it is to look backwards, and especially amid a growing mental health crisis among teenagers, society benefits when we all move forward. And there's one public policy that offers clear advantages to the old-timers and youngsters alike: government-funded universal after-school programs.

Nearly every school day in the country ends before the workday does. It's a gap that families fill as they can, pulling back from work, trying to find care, or leaving kids to their own devices (literal and figurative). Federally funded after-school programming would be a win for kids, their families, the larger community and the overall economy. It may not improve teens' mental health, but it's a practical, popular, proven way to invest more in them.

Practically speaking, kids need somewhere to go between 3 and 6 o'clock in the afternoon if their parents are at work, and structured, supervised after-school programs are among the best options. The Afterschool Alliance, an advocacy group that promotes after-school programming, perennially reports that this type of programming is extremely popular with parents. It's a chance for enrichment for their kids, one that exposes them to mentors and peers and gives them a connection with their community in a safe environment.

And it works. In 2015, Congress authorized the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Initiative as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act. It is the only dedicated funding for before- and after-school programs, amounting to $1.3 billion for fiscal year 2026. With federal money comes federal evaluations, which have found that regular after-school participation can help with everything from self-esteem and civic mindedness to school attendance and crime. The kids in after-school programming benefit immensely.

The only real problem with after-school programming is that most kids don't have access to it. Current federal funds are enough to serve about 1.4 million students. There needs to be enough money to serve all of them.

Universal after-school would also enable parents to work more hours, benefiting family incomes, employers and the economy overall. That alone would justify the investment. An added bonus would be the federal dollars going to civic-minded organizations in every city in the U.S., helping them better serve their neighbors and addressing a loss of community that is felt by more than just teens.

Of course, after-school programs are no substitute for qualified care and treatment for mental health issues. But they can still be a beneficial investment.

Too often, kids are only considered in public policy in terms of the problems they create. More than two decades ago, and again last year, the National Research Council conducted research to understand what kids need to grow into productive adults. What keeps them on the right paths? There is a lot of research about the things they need to avoid, like drugs or criminal behavior, but what are the things they need to have?

The council's panel found an answer: positive experiences, positive relationships, positive environments — a framework called positive youth development. It sounds obvious, and maybe not particularly insightful. Yet the panel realized that for many kids this was a rare combination and it's a role that after-school programming can fill. In the panel's words, it "can provide a place that is responsive to youth, where all participants can feel a sense of belonging and affirm their sense of self."

In a world of hard problems, this is an easy win. There's a practical constraint keeping many families and employers from fully benefiting from the U.S. economy, and the government can lift it. There's a pressing social issue that deserves a sweeping and serious response, and the government can provide it. Two birds, one stone. Or rather, two solutions, one investment.

So let's all go join some clubs, tie some knots, try out for plays, mess around with science, have a snack, make a friend, and then go home for dinner.

(COMMENT, BELOW)

Kathryn Anne Edwards is a labor economist, independent policy consultant and co-host of the Optimist Economy podcast.

Previously:
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