Afterschool and out-of-school time (OST) programs in Arkansas are vital resources for supporting students' academic growth and personal development. Currently, approximately 59,837 children statewide benefit from structured afterschool programs. However, an estimated 125,025 children remain unsupervised after school hours, underscoring a significant gap in service availability.

Arkansas OST programs prioritize academic assistance, enrichment opportunities, social-emotional learning (SEL), and college and career readiness, with an emphasis on serving high-need and economically disadvantaged students. Some of these programs are funded by a combination of federal and state resources, including 21st CCLC grants and allocations from the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds provided through the American Rescue Plan.