In Texas, 5 in 6 kids who want afterschool don't have it
Texas has one of the steepest afterschool demand gaps in the nation. Per the Afterschool Alliance's America After 3PM data, 581,120 Texas children (11%) are in an afterschool program, while 2,730,408 more would be enrolled if one were available — about 5 in 6 of the families who want it.
For context, Texas's current-enrollment rate (11%) sits just below the national average, even as the want-list runs to nearly 2.7 million children.
What's paying for programs today
The state's largest dedicated federal stream, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, provides $130,573,406 in FY2026, serving 136,889 youth in Texas. As in every state, the FY2027 President's proposed budget lists $0 for the program — a cut that would land on top of an already-large unmet demand.
Finding a program
- Search by city, county, and district on our [Texas directory](/texas/).
- New to this? Start with [how to find a free afterschool program](/guides/free-after-school-programs-how-to-find-one/).
- Need something for tonight? Generate a free, standards-aligned at-home lesson for whatever your child is working on.
All figures above are drawn from the linked public sources; nothing here is estimated.