Philadelphia – Today the City launched an online survey to better understand how parents, caregivers and other community members make decisions around after school or Out-of-School Time (OST).  This survey is part of Philadelphia’s recent Citywide Out-of-School Time Initiative which seeks to create a shared and coordinated approach to OST programming among the City, schools, providers, philanthropy and the community.

The city defines out of school time to include any expanded learning programming that happens outside of the school-day, including before and after school, on weekends and during holidays and the summer. The information gathered from the survey will be used to refine current strategies or to develop new ones in the ways to engage parents, caregivers and others.

“We need to hear the voices and experiences of parents, grandparents, teachers and other members of the community to help provide the best options for our children and families,” said City Managing Director Mike DiBerardinis.

The survey, offered in both English and Spanish, is available online HERE and will be open until May 26^th.  Participants are also encouraged to complete the survey via mobile device.

Persons in need of assistance to complete the survey can visit any KEYSPOT public-access computing center for help. KEYSPOT center locations can be found at www.phillykeyspots.org.

“This survey will help us find out what is important to parents and caretakers, and what are the gaps in programming for after school and summer time—those times when it is critical to support kids to learn and thrive outside of school hours,” said Cynthia Figueroa, Commissioner for the Philadelphia Department of Human Services.

Research confirms that quality youth programs can make a positive difference in young people’s academic achievement, social skills and risk reduction. Quality OST programs are linked to better school attendance, increased engagement with learning, and increased levels of physical activity for school-aged children.

Survey results will be made public and released by fall 2017.