The revolution begins at 3:00 p.m.," Jodi Wilgoren wrote in the New York Times. "The explosion of after-school programs...represents nothing less than the reimagining of the school day for the first time in generations." Indeed, few current issues in child and youth development receive as much attention today as organized out-of-school time. One key factor to its significance is its sheer quantity—children spend about 80 percent of their waking hours outside of school. In addition, education reform, changes in welfare laws, and the growth of prevention services for youth have all played a role in bringing afterschool to the fore.

At our organization, the Program in Afterschool Education and Research (PAER), established in 1999 at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, we have found significant growth in scholarly, popular, and political support for afterschool programs each year since our inception. The rationale behind this support is clear—many studies suggest that organized afterschool activities promote positive outcomes for children and youth.