Decades of research show that afterschool programs positively impact outcomes for children and families.
The map below looks at both the Social Vulnerability Index and Internet Access to show us where there are indicators of need in Virginia. (More below on how to navigate between these factors on the map).
About Social Vulnerability Index (SVI)
The Social Venerability Index (SVI) was created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), under the Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program (GRASP) using census data . It demonstrates how at-risk a population is a combination of 15 social factors grouped into four major themes: socioeconomic (poverty and income levels), housing composition and disability (crowded housing), minority status and language, housing and transportation (lack of vehicle). When you view the map legend you’ll see percentile ranking values range from 0 to 1, with higher values indicating greater vulnerability.
Launch the map in a separate window here.
In this map you can view layers of need all together or one at at time. Expand the legend by clicking the stacked squares icon in the top left corner. Now you will see all of the map layers. Simply click on the eye icon to toggle on and off view of the layers. We recommend only toggling SVI and Internet Access.
When viewing the SVI you’ll see the ranking and a description as low, moderate and high. Within the same pop-up box you can scroll down to see the breakdown of SVI categories (socioeconomic, housing composition and disability, minority status and language, housing and transportation). If you hover over the bars they will display the category and score.
During the height of the pandemic, the world physically shut down and connection became the dominant form of connection thereby exposing the depth of the digital divide. Reliable access to technological devices,Internet and the skillsets to use them is critical for both children and families to thrive in the 21st Century.
Out-of-School Time Programs in Virginia often host computer labs and have devices available to children and commonly families as well. For students in more rural areas or those struggling with poverty, a school-issued device may still pose challenges if there is no reliable internet at home. That’s why afterschool programs can play an important role in closing the digital gap.
Viewing the Internet Access Layer
This layer shows was developed by ESRI/Census using data from the most currently released American Community Survey. It displays computer ownership and internet access by education.
Not only do OST programs provide access to technologies, they build computer science competencies and foster computational thinking, as STEM learning is a huge component of OST programs. Sixty eight percent of afterschool programs and 72 percent of summer learning programs in Virginia offer STEM learning. More specifically, 68 percent of Virginia parents report that STEM and computer science learning opportunities are important when choosing an afterschool program.
