Rural Students Lag Urban Peers in Afterschool STEM

Parents across the country report more STEM offerings, but rural families still see less frequent participation than urban families.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Secondary Education

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a small cart at the end of a long empty rural road under a wide sky, evoking distance in access. — Parents report more afterschool STEM offerings nationwide, but rural students participate less often than urban peers, according to a new Afterschool Alliance survey. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you think rural students should have the same afterschool STEM access as urban students?

The Afterschool Alliance released a national survey report showing that parents reporting STEM education in their child's afterschool program rose from 73% in 2020 to 92% in 2025, though rural students participate less often than urban peers.

Why it matters

For families weighing afterschool options, the gap between rural and urban access to STEM activities shapes what children can reach outside the school day. Parents in rural areas and low-income households face the steepest barriers to getting a program at all.

Nearly 30 million children had parents who wanted afterschool access, while 7 million were enrolled last year. Among rural parents, 55% said STEM learning was a priority when choosing a program, compared with 75% of urban parents.

The players

Afterschool Alliance

A national advocacy organization focused on expanding access to quality afterschool and summer programs for children and families.

The details

The survey drew responses from 30,515 households, and about 14,663 respondents answered follow-up questions about afterschool STEM offerings. The findings point to a delivery constraint: a STEM coordinator may need to travel to several locations to lead programs at each site, and can offer a STEM program only once a week per location. Those logistics help explain why rural families see less frequent participation.

2020: baseline year, when 73% of parents reported afterschool STEM education.
January 31 to April 21, 2025: survey data collection period.
2025: 92% of parents reported afterschool STEM education.

The Big Picture

The Afterschool Alliance's national parent survey series tracks how afterschool program access and STEM offerings change over time. The 2025 results continue an upward trend from 73% in 2020 to 92% in 2025, while rural participation still trails urban participation.

If your child attends an afterschool program, ask whether it offers STEM activities and how often they meet each week. Families in rural areas may want to compare program schedules across nearby locations to find more frequent options.

The takeaway

Access to afterschool STEM activities still depends heavily on where a family lives and how much it earns. Parents comparing programs can ask about weekly frequency and STEM offerings before enrolling.