Research & Policy

[Berea, Kentucky] — A robust child care system that provides a continuum of high-quality care and learning opportunities from birth through school age is essential for meeting the needs of kids and … [Read more...] about Families and businesses struggle amid Kentucky’s ongoing school-age child care crisis 

Affordable, quality afterschool programs keep kids safe, inspire them to learn, and support the needs of today’s working families. Yet, in Kentucky, for every child in an afterschool program, four … [Read more...] about Regulatory reform is critical to expanding access to afterschool in Kentucky

This past fall, the Afterschool Alliance and Edge Research surveyed 1,016 afterschool program providers between October 24 and November 30, 2022, including 44 respondents who reported that their … [Read more...] about Afterschool programs in Kentucky are open but still recovering post-pandemic

A robust child care system that provides a continuum of high-quality care from infancy through school-age is essential for meeting the needs of kids and families today. That system includes … [Read more...] about KYOSA Data Explorer shows why Kentucky families struggle to find affordable school-age child care

Throughout the pandemic, the Afterschool Alliance has been tracking the ways in which COVID-19 is impacting afterschool and summer learning providers. In their most recent survey, the seventh wave of … [Read more...] about Waitlists grow while Kentucky’s summer programs struggle with staffing challenges

“COVID-19 has put stress on an already stressed programming system. I feel like this has put a spotlight on the need for our programs and the staffing issue” one survey respondent reports in … [Read more...] about Staffing takes top spot as primary challenge for Kentucky’s afterschool program providers in new survey

Out-of-school time (OST) program fees have long been a major barrier to low- and moderate-income families in Kentucky. Now, soaring costs as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic combined with few … [Read more...] about Soaring OST program costs due to COVID-19 could limit access to students and families most in need this summer

The American Rescue Plan (ARP), which provides over $2 billion in federal funding to state and local education agencies in Kentucky for afterschool, summer, and learning recovery programming … [Read more...] about Gaps in Access to No- or Low-Cost Out-of-School Time Programs in Kentucky Persist

With demand for well-trained STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) workers expected to skyrocket, and women and people of color grossly underrepresented in STEM professions, afterschool … [Read more...] about Growing Number of Kentucky Parents Recognize Value of STEM Learning in Afterschool

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund was authorized bySection 18003 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to provide emergency aid to states to … [Read more...] about Tracking how Kentucky schools are using ARP funds to address learning loss during non-school hours

As more kids across Kentucky head back to school this week, the Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance (KYOSA) is taking a moment to reflect on this past summer as it comes to a close. The summer of 2021 was … [Read more...] about New research: Despite providing critical services, summer programs continue to remain out of reach for many low-income children and families in Kentucky