The mission of the National AfterSchool Association is to foster development, provide education, and encourage advocacy for the out-of-school-time community.

NAA is the membership association for professionals who work with children and youth in diverse school and community-based settings to provide a wide variety of extended learning opportunities and care during out-of-school hours. Our members include afterschool program directors, coordinators, sponsors, front-line staff, school leaders, principals, teachers, paraprofessionals, board of education members, non-profit leaders, advocates, community leaders, policymakers, researchers, and more. We respect and celebrate our diversity. NAA is working to assure that the vision of high-quality learning experiences for all children and youth, both in and out of school, becomes a reality through the application of the NAA core competencies in afterschool programs. NAA recognizes that quality afterschool programs provide positive child and youth development and meet a critical need for keeping kids safe and families productively employed. NAA understands that families need a wide range of interesting and age-appropriate programming choices to be available and accessible when their children are not in school.