The promise of after-school programs for low-income children

This article draws on the findings from the evaluation of a three-city after-school imitative, as well as the general literature, to examine the field of after-school programs, focusing on those programs serving low-income children. A brief history of these programs is presented exploring the rationales for them in the circumstances of low-income children; a current profile of this field of services is provided; the major tensions in and challenges facing the field are discussed; and recommendations for facing those challenges are offered. The article argues for the expectations of after-school programs for low-income children to be kept modest, commensurate with both their modest means (i.e., limited resources and largely nonprofessional workforce) and distinct role in children’s lives.