Ask the Candidates about Their Position on Afterschool

These questions are suitable for any forum, from a public debate or event, to a letter, to a face-to-face meeting. Do a little research on the candidates and add or tailor questions based on their previous actions or decisions regarding afterschool, or particular points in their platform that would affect afterschool.

These questions are suitable for any forum, from a public debate or event, to a letter, to a face-to-face meeting. Do a little research on the candidates and add or tailor questions based on their previous actions or decisions regarding afterschool, or particular points in their platform that would affect afterschool. 

 You can start with some basic questions like: what the candidate has done to support afterschool and how they will support afterschool once they are elected?  Also you can get the candidate thinking about how afterschool affects them personally by asking if their children ever participated in a program or if they attended programs as children themselves and if they’ve ever visited a program.

 Questions for State and Local Candidates:

 1. Research shows that afterschool programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. Do you favor state and local funding for afterschool programs?

2. Quality, affordable afterschool programs are available to only a small percentage of schoolchildren, parents, and communities that want them. If elected, will you work for a significant increase in state and local funding for afterschool programs, so that more children and families will have quality afterschool programs available to them?

3. Despite efforts to maximize investments in high schools, afterschool programs for high school students are in especially short supply. This is of particular concern because high school students are especially vulnerable to challenges such as gangs, crime, substance abuse, sexual activity, job readiness and more. Many need the kind of help preparing for college and the work world that afterschool programs can provide. If elected, will you support additional funding for afterschool programs to serve high school students?

4. Afterschool programs for high school students are in especially short supply, even though these students face particular challenges with gangs, crime, substance abuse, sexual activity, job readiness and more. Many need the kind of help preparing for college and the work world that afterschool programs can provide. If elected, will you support additional funding for afterschool programs to serve high school students?

5. Afterschool programs need support not just from governments, but from the business and philanthropic communities. If elected, will you work to engage leaders of these communities in efforts to increase support for afterschool programs?

6. Please describe the ways you would work to make afterschool programs available to all children who need them, if you are elected.

Questions for Federal Candidates:

1. Research shows that afterschool programs keep children safe, inspire them to learn and help working families. Do you favor federal funding for afterschool programs?

2. Quality, affordable afterschool programs are available to only a small percentage of schoolchildren, parents, and communities that want them. If elected, will you work for a significant increase in federal funding for afterschool programs, so that more children and families will have quality afterschool programs available to them?

3. Despite efforts to maximize federal investments in high schools, afterschool programs for high school students are in especially short supply. This is of particular concern because high school students are especially vulnerable to challenges such as gangs, crime, substance abuse, sexual activity, job readiness and more. Many need the kind of help preparing for college and the work world that afterschool programs can provide. If elected, will you support a new federal funding stream for afterschool programs to serve high school students?

4. Afterschool programs need support not just from governments, but from the business and philanthropic communities. If elected, will you work to engage leaders of these communities in efforts to increase support for afterschool programs?

5. Please describe the ways you would work to make afterschool programs available to all children who need them, if you are elected.