Texas Among Tops in Afterschool Programs
Thursday, Oct 15, 2009 | Updated 12:15 PM CST
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15 percent of Texas children participate in afterschool programs.
A national study finds fewer Texas children home alone after school than in the past, but there are still too many without access to quality after-school programs.
The "America After 3 P.M." study released on Thursday ranks Texas among the "Top 10 States for Afterschool" programs in 2009.
The Washington-based nonprofit Afterschool Alliance requested the study paid for by the J.C. Penney Afterschool Fund.
Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant says one reason Texas stands so strongly is the jump in the number of children participating in after school programs, from 10 percent in 2004 to 15 percent this year.
Furthermore, Texas is serving a significant number of high-need kids. Slightly more than half of the state's participants qualify for reduced-priced lunches.
Copyright Associated Press
Posted Thursday, Oct 15, 2009 - 12:05 PM CST
