1) According to a 2009 study, over 15 million children are left unsupervised after school each day, including over 1 million elementary school children. 2) Regular participation in afterschool programs has been linked to improved standardized test scores, reduced behavioral issues, and lower obesity rates. 3) Support for afterschool programs comes from a wide range of groups seeking to increase access to programs, which provide benefits to children and help address juvenile crime.