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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The nationally-recognized Alternative Schools
3Network runs many programs that assist at-risk youth, including
4the Youth Skills, Scholars, and Service and Project New Futures
5Programs; and
 
6    WHEREAS, The Youth Skills, Scholars, and Service Program
7educates and graduates over 300 Department of Children and
8Family Services high school dropouts annually; the program
9provides educational support and various services to these
10youth in order to provide a quality education and helps to
11prevent and reduce violence in Department of Children and
12Family Services wards; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The Project New Futures Program supported 130
14older Department of Children and Family Services youth to
15successfully enter adulthood by providing the personal,
16consistent, and intense support they needed as they prepared to
17emancipate from Department of Children and Family Services; and
 
18    WHEREAS, The Department of Children and Family Services has
19recently cut $1 million from the Alternative Schools Network's
20Youth Skills, Scholars, and Service Program by denying the
21organization the sub-contract that was needed to expand
22services for older Department of Children and Family Services

 

 

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1youth; this funding cut also resulted in the elimination of the
2Project New Futures Program; and
 
3    WHEREAS, The Department of Children and Family Services is
4contractually obligated to refer youth that are appropriate for
5the Alternative Schools Network's Youth Skills, Scholars, and
6Service Program by their level of credits, skills, age, and
7motivation; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The Department of Children and Family Services has
9notified the Alternative Schools Network that the Youth Skills,
10Scholars, and Service Program should change from the
11grant-based program it has been in previous years into a
12fee-for-service program, a move that would undoubtedly affect
13many of the at-risk youth these programs seek to help;
14therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
16NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
17urge the Department of Children and Family Services to
18reinstate the funding for the Alternative Schools Network's
19Youth Skills, Scholars, and Service and Project New Futures
20Programs and to maintain the grant-based nature of the programs
21so that at-risk youth can receive the education and skills they
22need to be responsible and productive adults; and be it further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
2delivered to the Director of the Department of Children and
3Family Services.