Children spend just 20 percent of their waking hours in school. Yet we expect schools to shoulder almost all the responsibility for their futures. A child's capacity to learn doesn't end with the final school bell.

Citizen Schools believes it's time to re-imagine how out-of-school time learning can help children achieve academically. Afterschool programs can do so much more than what we so often expect of them – just keeping kids off the street – and seize the abundant time available to make a real impact on their education.

Using a track record of proven success, Citizen Schools has been mobilizing public and community support for high-quality afterschool programs. We envision a day when most of the nation's 88,000 schools reopen after school, on weekends, and in the summer for experiential learning opportunities that powerfully link children and schools to the larger community.

Take action.

Learn more about Citizen Schools’ policy priorities.

Access legislative summaries, white papers, and other policy resources.

Back to Our Results

Priorities