Survey: Colorado faces shortage of after-school programs

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(The Center Square) – Colorado is experiencing a significant shortage of out-of-school programs, according to a new report.

The survey found that, while parents of 463,000 children in Colorado want them in an after-school program, 75% of those children are not. While still significant, that is 2% lower than the national average.

This should be a priority for lawmakers, according to Kelly Streck, director of the Colorado Afterschool Partnership. She spoke with The Center Square in an exclusive interview regarding the report.

“After-school programs are a must-have for Colorado families because it keeps kids safe,” Streck said. “We have the long-term data. That data shows that after-school programs are better for our kids across the board.”

Because of these programs, Streck explained parents are able to stay at work longer, while children are cared for during those gaps before school, after school, on the weekends and even during the summer.

“I have peace of mind knowing that my kids are safe and engaged and learning while I am continuing my job into the afternoon,” she said.

The fifth annual “America After 3PM” survey was conducted by the Afterschool Alliance. It found the number of Colorado children participating in an after-school program has increased only slightly since 2004.

In 2025, 116,141 children were enrolled in an after-school program. That means 347,343 children were not able to attend those programs, according to the survey. It pointed to a variety of reasons for that gap, including program cost, availability and inaccessibility.

Streck said this is a broader issue affecting both parents and children, especially in Colorado where there are more school districts that have four-day school weeks than those with the normal five-day school weeks.

In fact, the survey found 90% of Colorado parents said after-school programs allow them to keep their jobs or work more hours, and 97% said they’re less stressed knowing their child is safe at an after-school program instead of being home alone.

Many of these programs were bolstered by COVID-19 era funding, according to a 2024 report from the Afterschool Alliance. That funding is now dwindling.

“As American Rescue Plan and other pandemic relief funding expires, many Colorado youth will lose their programs — and families and communities will lose essential supports — if action is not taken,” the report said.

Streck said her entire job is to support after-school programs throughout Colorado while advocating for them to receive sustainable funding. Some of that funding includes $3.5 million approved in 2024 for a three-year “Out-of-School Time Grant Program.”

“So many of the Colorado congressmen were supportive of that bill,” Streck said. She is hopeful she can successfully garner support to expand funding for that program, which is set to end in the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

While lawmakers were very supportive of that program, their constituents hope to see that funding go even further. The “America After 3PM” survey found that an overwhelming 89% of Colorado parents support taxpayer funding for after-school programs.