A Meta-Analysis of Participation in Organized Activities and Academic Outcomes: Implications for Theory, Policy, and Practice

Organized activities, including after-school programs and extracurricular activities, have been touted as settings that promote youth’s academic outcomes. However, no meta-analysis has included both activity types to assess this claim. The purpose of this study was to test associations between activity participation and four academic outcomes. We analyzed the findings of 117 studies released between 2007 and 2024 ( k = 327 effect sizes; N = 332,930; 49% girls; 51% White, 41% Black, 22% Latine, and 22% Asian youth; 16% of studies included only children, 74% only adolescents). Participation was associated with higher grades ( g = 0.33), test scores ( g = 0.19), and educational attainment ( g = 0.39), but not school attendance ( g = 0.13). Effects were stronger for academic grades ( p < 0.05) and test scores ( p = 0.05) for school-based activities than community-based activities; however, effects for grades and test scores did not vary by participant age, family income, activity focus, or activity setting. These findings demonstrate that participating in organized activities is associated with youth’s short- and long-term academic outcomes, supporting the proposition that organized activities are a primary microsystem that warrants continued research to identify under what conditions and for whom organized activities are most effective.