Public Agenda
November 16, 2004
This Public Agenda study, commissioned by the Wallace Foundation, reports on children's "out-of-school time" activities and what the consumers of these activities (parents included) expect them to accomplish. Not surprisingly, many believe that quality organized activities - no matter if sports-, academic-, or hobby-centered - will help kids stay out of trouble. However, fewer than half of low-income parents report adequate access to high-quality options, vs. two-thirds of upper-income families. More surprising, poor families are also likelier to look for programs that focus on academics rather than sports or hobbies (45 percent vs. 35 percent upper-income). The study explores a wide range of topics from both parents' and kids' perspectives and, on top of income and race disparities in after-school programs, reveals a scary disconnect between what parents think their kids are doing in their free time and what the girls and boys are actually up to. To read on, click here.