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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Every hour of every school day, 16 students become
3 dropouts in the City of Chicago; the majority of these students
4 are African American and Latino; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Youth Connection Charter School is a
6 not-for-profit charter school association that caters to drop
7 out students, allowing them a second chance to earn a degree
8 and providing them with professional skills to achieve
9 rewarding careers; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The average dropout rate for Chicago Public
11 Schools for the past five years was 41%; alarmingly, the
12 average age of a student who drops out is 18 or 19, and the
13 average reading comprehension is at the 7th grade level; 40% of
14 these dropouts read below a 6th grade level; and
 
15     WHEREAS, 75% of America's state prison inmates are high
16 school dropouts; additionally, young adults who become
17 dropouts are over three times more likely than high school
18 graduates to be arrested in their lifetime; and
 
19     WHEREAS, It is tragically clear that a high number of high
20 school dropouts do not achieve at the same level that people
21 with high school degrees, are more frequently incarcerated, and

 

 

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1 are predominately African American or Latino; and
 
2     WHEREAS, Chicago Public Schools has been battling the
3 problem of high drop out rates, but, sadly, the number has not
4 been able to drop below 40%; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Youth Connection Charter School re-enrolls high
6 school dropouts and achieves a higher graduation rate than
7 Chicago Public Schools with this already marginalized
8 population; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Youth Connection Charter School has a current
10 waiting list of 1,200 students; sadly, these students who are
11 unable to enroll face the same challenges and negative
12 consequences that other dropouts face, despite the fact that
13 they are trying to obtain a degree; and
 
14     WHEREAS, It is our obligation as a society to ensure that
15 all students regardless of race or socioeconomic status have
16 the right to achieve a high quality secondary education; Youth
17 Connection Charter School has the ability and the capacity to
18 help more young adults reach the achievement of obtaining a
19 high school diploma; therefore, be it
 
20     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL
21 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we request that the

 

 

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1 Chicago Public Schools allocate 2,100 seats to Youth Connection
2 Charter School over a seven-year period in order to address the
3 immediate and urgent need to help as many young adults as
4 possible achieve an education; and be it further
 
5     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
6 presented to Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman.