America After 3PM STEM
Afterschool STEM Takes Off: Programs Offer More STEM Than Ever, But Too Many Young People Still Miss Out
Afterschool STEM Takes Off: Programs Offer More STEM Than Ever, But Too Many Young People Still Miss Out
A parent looking for an afterschool program wants a safe environment, caring staff, and engaging activities. Increasingly, that means activities that get their child building, coding, and asking questions about how things work, and afterschool programs have stepped up to meet that expectation by offering more science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning experiences than ever before.
The “Afterschool STEM Takes Off: Programs Offer More STEM Than Ever, But Too Many Young People Still Miss Out" special report, funded by Overdeck Family Foundation, draws on a decade of America After 3PM data to show parent priorities and expectations for STEM learning, the subjects and skills young people are accessing, and what gaps remain.
Since 2004, the America After 3PM study has provided an essential view into how children and young people spend the hours between 3 and 6 p.m. The 2025 results from this nationwide survey make one thing clear: families across the country—regardless of whether they live in rural, suburban, or urban communities, in a coastal state, or in the middle of the country—continue to want afterschool programs for their children. Yet much of that demand remains unmet: more than 3 in 4 children whose parents want them in an afterschool program are missing out.
Allegheny County STEM Data
In partnership with APOST, Afterschool Alliance released afterschool STEM data specific to Allegheny County. The data finds that 92% of parents of Allegheny County afterschool students now say their child’s afterschool program offers STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning, up significantly from 76% in 2014. But nearly four in five Allegheny County children whose parents want afterschool programs for them (92,451 children) are not enrolled.
Pennsylvania STEM Data
Today, 185,417 Pennsylvania students are getting STEM education in their afterschool program. In Pennsylvania, 88% of parents report their child’s afterschool program is offering science and math, compared to just 77% who report it is providing technology activities. But 4 in 5 Pennsylvania children and youth whose parents want afterschool programs for them (80%) are not enrolled at all.
National STEM Data
A parent looking for an afterschool program wants a safe environment, caring staff, and engaging activities. Increasingly, that means activities that get their child building, coding, and asking questions about how things work, and afterschool programs have stepped up to meet that expectation by offering more science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning experiences than ever before. Nationally, the data shows big gains in the afterschool STEM space, and that once in an afterschool program, most children have enrichment opportunities in STEM.
1. STEM in afterschool has become nearly universal, and parents value it when selecting a program.
2. Parents distinguish among the individual subjects that make up the term “STEM.”
3. Rural parents face large gaps in afterschool STEM access.
4. Parents of teens want STEM tied to real-world preparation.
5. Parents prioritize afterschool programs that help their children develop social and durable skills.
About the America After 3PM
The Afterschool Alliance’s fifth edition of America After 3PM provides new insights about children and families during the hours of 3 to 6 p.m., when schools let out and many parents are working. Data from parents show afterschool programs remain an urgent priority, and millions of families who want to participate are missing out.