Unstructured after-school practices and academic achievement: socioeconomic stratification and compensatory associations in Russia

Abstract

In the Russian educational context, where structured extracurricular activities are widely promoted and institutionalized by the state, the role of unstructured after-school practices in shaping socioeconomic inequalities in academic achievement remains unexplored. This study examines how unstructured after-school activities are associated with students’ academic achievement, with a particular focus on whether these associations vary across socioeconomic groups (SES). The analysis draws on a representative online survey of 4,373 students in grades 4-8 across 31 urban schools in Russia (50% female; M=12.36), we analyze 15 indicators of child and child-parent practices, applying multiple linear regression and SES moderation analyses. Results indicate that reading and sports participation show positive relationships with academic performance, while household chores display negative correlations; students from higher-SES families engage more often in academically beneficial practices, however, the associations between unstructured practices and achievement are largely similar across SES groups. The findings contribute to research on educational inequality by demonstrating that unstructured after-school practices are socially stratified but may function as compensatory resources insofar as they offer comparable academic benefits when access is expanded, underscoring the importance of policies that expand affordable access to cultural and developmental extracurricular opportunities through school-community partnerships.