After School Care, Wyoming Assessed

A new assessment of Wyoming's progress toward offering after-school programs to children who need them finds we've made some progress, but there's a lot of work left to do.

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The assessment, released in conjunction with a national program, Lights On After School, looked at state policies, funding and programs available to kids when they are not in school and parents are working.

On a 1 to 5 scale Wyoming came away with a 3.

"I think we're doing very well, to be honest with you. No state got a five and being a newer network, the work that we're doing is, I think, significant in the state."

Linda Barton is executive director of the Wyoming After School Alliance that formed in 2007.

"Basically, any time school is not in session is what is considered after-school or out-of-school time. Many programs operate a significant portion of the Summer and that offers, not only a solution for parents who want to make sure their children are in a safe and structured environment, but it also helps to diminish Summer learning loss."

The economic benefits that come with offering out of school programs are another important part of the picture. Wyoming, she says, is now in the midst of a study "to determine where they're located, what the gaps are, who's doing what, and what do we need to reinforce the quality within the programs."

She says a 17 site pilot program in Wyoming is training providers and teaching them to self assess.

The Wyoming After School Alliance is part of a national network that shares ideas on how to provide better out-of-school care that enhances the child's school achievments while offering support to working parents.