Extracurricular Participation
As part of a student survey completed in fifth through 12th grade, students were asked to report on their involvement in extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities are defined as participation in at least one activity outside of classroom time, such as a club, music, sports, or volunteering.
Source: Student survey administered to Elkhart County Public School students in grades 5-12, Collected and Analyzed by Horizon Education Alliance in partnership with school districts, 2019-2023
Note: This survey is no longer administered, with the final administration in 2023. An alternative source of data on student extracurricular participation is yet to be identified.
Participation in extracurricular activities during middle and high school has been shown to have a positive association with academic achievement, social connectedness, and mental and behavioral health. Participation in extracurriculars has also been found to be connected to students continuing education and participating in civic life after high school. Extracurricular activities are not equally accessible to all populations. Socioeconomic factors, in particular, can impact children’s ability to participate in extracurriculars due to costs of participation, transportation barriers, and conflicts with family or work commitments.
By Gender
By Race/Ethnicity
By Grade Level
There is no comparative data available at the state level on participation in extracurricular activities.
Several national youth surveys include questions about participation in extracurricular activities, including Monitoring the Future through the University of Michigan and Survey of Income and Program Participation through the Census Bureau. These surveys have contributed evidence on the impact of participation in extracurriculars on academic, social and life outcomes as well as on the disparities that exist in participation.
