A new statewide report released through America After 3PM confirms what families, providers, and communities across Michigan have long understood: families want afterschool programs, but far too many young people are unable to access them.
According to the newly released data, parents of 828,578 Michigan young people would like access to an afterschool program. Only 150,508 are currently enrolled, leaving approximately 678,070 young people without access who would participate if a program were available.
That means approximately five out of every six young people in Michigan whose parents want afterschool opportunities are missing out.
Families See the Value of Afterschool
The demand is not surprising. Michigan parents overwhelmingly recognize the role afterschool programs play in supporting young people’s learning, development, and well-being.
Among Michigan parents surveyed:
87% said programs encourage fun and learning while reducing screen time.
86% said programs build social skills and responsible decision-making.
85% said programs support young people’s well-being.
84% said programs strengthen teamwork, critical thinking, and leadership skills.
77% said programs help keep young people safe.
76% said programs increase excitement about learning and improve school attendance.
Parents whose young people are enrolled also reported significant benefits for their own families. Ninety-five percent said knowing their young person was safe reduced their stress, while 85% said afterschool programs improved their productivity at work. Eighty-one percent said access helped them keep their job or work additional hours.
Michigan families also gave their programs high marks. Eighty-seven percent of parents rated their young person’s afterschool program as “excellent” or “very good,” resulting in an overall quality score of 4.28 out of 5.
Too Many Families Face Barriers
Although families clearly value these opportunities, affordability, transportation, location, and program availability continue to prevent participation.
Michigan parents identified several common barriers:
55% said programs were too expensive.
46% reported not having a safe way to travel to and from programs.
44% said programs were located in inconvenient locations.
41% said programs were unavailable in their community.
Among families who pay for afterschool care, the average weekly cost was $83.20. Young people enrolled in programs attended an average of 3.5 days per week for approximately 4.9 hours each week.
These findings show that the afterschool access gap is not caused by a lack of interest. Families want these programs. The opportunities simply are not available, affordable, or accessible enough to meet the need.
Strong Support Across Political Affiliations
Michigan parents are also united in their support for expanding access.
Nearly nine out of 10 parents, or 87%, agreed that all young people deserve access to quality afterschool and summer programs. Another 88% supported public funding for afterschool opportunities.
That support crossed political affiliations, including:
92% of Democrats
90% of Independents
87% of Republicans
At a time when public conversations can feel increasingly divided, afterschool remains an issue with broad, bipartisan support. Michigan families recognize that these programs benefit young people, strengthen families, support the workforce, and contribute to healthier communities.
Michigan Must Meet the Demand
The 2025 America After 3PM findings provide a clear call to action. Michigan has hundreds of thousands of young people who would participate in afterschool programs if they could access them.
Meeting that demand will require sustained public investment, stronger transportation solutions, expanded program availability, and continued support for the professionals and organizations providing high-quality Out-of-School Time opportunities throughout the state.
Every young person deserves a safe and supportive place to learn, connect, grow, and belong outside of the traditional school day. Michigan families are asking for these opportunities. Now, our state must work together to make them possible.
America After 3PM is a national survey of parents and guardians of school-aged young people conducted by Edge Research on behalf of the Afterschool Alliance. In Michigan, the study screened 2,151 households representing 3,627 young people. The survey was made possible through a partnership with the New York Life Foundation.
