New study finds impressive leap in Virginia afterschool programs providing STEM education, but room for improvement in frequency of STEM engagement, computer science learning in afterschool.
Get the Facts
“There is good news in this report. Virginia afterschool programs have stepped up and are meeting the challenge to prepare our children and youth to be STEM-literate citizens who can succeed in the workforce of tomorrow,” said Blaire Denson, Executive Director of VPOST. “But we need more resources to ensure that all Virginia’s young people can access the afterschool and summer learning programs that will help them thrive, and that these programs thoroughly engage them in all the STEM activities available to them. We will work with local and state policymakers and our many community partners to ensure we can continue to progress.”
Parental Support
Virginia parents recognize the value of STEM education in afterschool, with 78% agreeing that afterschool programs help children gain STEM interests and skills. Afterschool STEM Takes Off reported that most STEM learning opportunities in Virginia take place in afterschool programs.
Afterschool programs in Virginia have stepped up to engage kids in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Ninety-six percent of parents in Virginia now report their child’s afterschool program offers STEM learning opportunities – an increase from 66% in 2014. But 4 in 5 Virginia children and youth whose parents want afterschool programs for them (80%) are not enrolled at all.
Findings from the Commonwealth
- Children in families with low incomes are less likely to have multiple exposures to STEM in afterschool each week than those whose families have higher incomes.
- Rural parents report fewer computer science and technology opportunities in afterschool.
- Two in three parents with children in afterschool programs (65%) value STEM extremely or somewhat when selecting a program.
- Parents of boys and girls report similar levels of access to STEM in their child’s afterschool program but parents of girls prioritize computer science, technology, and engineering less than parents of boys.
About the Survey
The national and Virginia America After 3PM 2025 STEM findings and accompanying data are available at https://aa3pm.co. This fifth edition of America After 3PM is based on a survey conducted in English and Spanish using a mixed-mode methodology to reach as many households as possible. Data were collected between January 31 and April 21, 2025. The margin of error for the child- and household-level data is +/-<1 percent. Previous America After 3PM surveys were conducted in 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2020.
