Educators often say California doesn't spend enough money on students, but when it comes to after-school programs it has the rest of the nation beat. California spends three times more on after-school programs than the other 49 states combined.

In a new report released Wednesday, the anti-crime nonprofit "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids" urges state lawmakers to expand funding for the successful after-school programs. Local law enforcement officials and after-school program leaders on the Peninsula echoed the organization's findings, saying they see firsthand how keeping children off the streets after school helps prevent crime.

Travis Martin, executive director of Mountain View's Police Activities League, remembered two students who had been "involved in the gang life" and were arrested by the police officer who coaches the PAL boxing program. PAL aims to bring together police officers and at-risk youths through activities such as soccer camps and tennis lessons.

The two students became involved in the boxing program, and have stayed in it since.

"They both have grown over the past couple years, dropped all of their gang connections and drastically increased their grades," Martin said. "And one of them I think actually wants to become a police officer."

State and federal funds provide money for more than 4,200 K-12 after-school programs throughout the state, serving more than 400,000 students, according to the new report by Invest in