When youth are recognized and rewarded by their parents and teachers and feel safe at school, protection increases and they are less likely to be involved in substance use and delinquency.
When youth are involved in extracurricular activities like sports, band, drama clubs, or student government, protection increases and they are less likely to be involved in substance use and delinquency.
How does this strategy address these risk factors and protective factor?
Student participation in high quality school-based extracurricular activities has been extensively proven to increase academic outcomes, engagement in school, socio-emotional development and sense of belonging. [1, 2] Several studies have further considered the importance of quality in these Out of School Time [OST] activities, identifying characteristics like regular attendance, intentionality of program, and activities designed to complement and reinforce the regular academic curriculum of participating students. [3]
Research has also shown a persistent opportunity gap in students who have access to quality extracurricular activities. While funding is a key factor in these inequities, studies have also identified recommendations in implementation and practices essential for closing these gaps, including community-based mentors and coaches, integration of attention to all basic needs and social determinants of health, and shifting of language and approaches from deficit-based to asset-based. [4] These gaps are also pronounced for rural US communities: Only 13% of rural students participate in extracurricular activities as compared to 25% of urban students, with an estimated 3 million students in rural communities who would participate in afterschool programs if they were available. [5]
Before You Begin
Understand the importance and positive impact of high quality school-based extracurricular activities for students. To begin this work, your coalition should first understand what contributes to “high quality” extracurricular activities and how they positively impact students.
Resources:
The National Conference of State Legislatures compiles research supporting the positive impact of school-based extracurriculars.
Understand access to high quality school-based extracurricular activities in your community and how it may be inequitably distributed across students. Understanding the existence and participation in school-based extracurriculars within schools serving your community is the one of the first steps in understanding the need and appropriate solutions that will best support students. Additionally, talking to schools to understand the challenges, barriers, concerns, successes, strengths, and opportunities for these activities can help guide future implementation activities.
Resources:
“From Access to Equity: Making Out-of-School-Time Spaces Meaningful for Teens From Marginalized Communities” summarizes findings from research about key challenges and promising practices toward equity in out-of-school-time programs engaging historically marginalized youth populations.
“Spiking Demand, Growing Barriers: The Trends Shaping Afterschool and Summer Learning in Rural Communities” addresses the particular challenges and opportunities for extracurricular programs serving rural communities.
This guidance suggests actions communities can take to identify available options. Communities can view data on access via the Afterschool Alliance.
Identify and connect with other organizations and individuals working or interested in this area, as well as those that hold decision-making power. Working with other organizations and/or individuals is the best way to maximize your coalition’s power and allows for a greater influence. Before selecting implementation activities, your coalition should take time to understand who is already working in this space, who has power to influence decision making, and what efforts are already underway. Reaching out to these organizations and individuals can help you form partnerships and learn from current and/or previous systems-level work in this area.
Resources:
The National Academy of Community Organizers offers A Guide to Power Analysis in Community Organizing, which can help coalitions understand where power sits within a community around a particular issue.
The AfterSchool Alliance discusses the various partnership roles that can be played by other individuals and organizations in a community.
Colorado-based organizations supporting this work include: Colorado Afterschool Partnership and the Colorado High School Activities Association.
Understand the racial inequities that are related to this strategy and consider the systemic and structural causes of disparities of student experiences within schools. By understanding the factors that contribute racial inequities related to this strategy, your coalition will be better able to identify the action that needs to be taken. Additionally, new and/or existing policies and systems-level approaches have the potential to exacerbate existing inequities within schools, making it important for your coalition to critically examine your action plan for signs of negative consequences.
Resources:
Dismantling Institutional Racism in Education is an initiative launched by the National School Board Association to assist state school boards, associations, and other education leaders in addressing racial inequities and the importance of uprooting structural racism in schools.
Learn about what contributes to racial inequities within schools here.
In this webinar, The Center for the Study of Race and Democracy hosts Dr. Pedro Noguero to discuss the “search for racial justice in education.”
Culturally Responsive Education shares research on solutions to increasing belonging among students of color and other systematically marginalized groups.
From Access to Equity: Making Out-of-School-Time Spaces Meaningful for Teens From Marginalized Communities, summarizes key challenges and promising practices toward equity in extracurricular programs.
It is important to note that the uniqueness of your community, its resources, and its needs will ultimately determine what implementation of this strategy will look like. Additionally, it is important for your coalition to approach this strategy in a way that is aligned with your overarching goal(s). The list below offers suggestions and ideas of evidence-informed actions your coalition can consider taking as part of your implementation of this strategy.
Support partners in starting and sustaining school-based extracurricular activities. Starting programs will require resources, personnel, and interest – all of which may be a challenge for educators already being pulled in many directions. Efforts should start with understanding what school-based extracurricular activities would best serve and suit the students within your community.
Resources:
The Afterschool Alliance compiles a variety of resources, toolkits, and guides surrounding program start-up and support
Support partners in understanding funding available for school-based extracurricular activities and support efforts to increase funding. Funding is not only necessary to establish high-quality school-based extracurricular activities, but also to sustain them long-term.
Resources:
The 21st Century Community Learning Center grants program is the only federal funding source exclusively dedicated to afterschool and summer programs. It is managed in Colorado by the Department of Education.
In 2024, the Colorado State Legislature passed HB 1331, creating a $3.5M grant program for out-of-school time programs to support public school students. The program will be administered by the Colorado Department of Education.
A number of private and community foundations provide grants and assistance to support extracurricular activities, including the private-public partnership that launched the My Spark Denver program in 2023, providing $1,000 debit cards directly to DPS students and families qualifying for free or reduced lunch, so that they can choose the youth activities that they’re most interested in.
The Afterschool Alliance compiled lists of: