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1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, There is clear evidence that quality after-school
3 programs can achieve positive outcomes for children and youth
4 in the areas of safety, academics, health and prevention,
5 social and emotional skill building, civic engagement, and
6 development of 21st century skills, making after-school
7 programs a valuable and needed community service; and
 
8     WHEREAS, It is important for after-school programs to
9 demonstrate characteristics of quality indicated by research
10 to increase the likelihood of achieving positive outcomes for
11 children and youth in their programs; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Illinois has multiple funding streams supporting
13 after-school programs with distinct funding policies and
14 priorities that are not coordinated across administering State
15 agencies, resulting in gaps and overlaps of services; and
 
16     WHEREAS, The demonstrated need in communities for
17 after-school services far outweighs the current available
18 funding; and
 
19     WHEREAS, The majority of Illinois citizens report that
20 there are not enough after-school opportunities in their
21 communities; and
 

 

 

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1     WHEREAS, Illinois has seen increasing investment in
2 after-school programs by members of the General Assembly in
3 response to the need for after-school programming; this
4 increased funding needs to be strengthened with structures that
5 ensure access, accountability, and sustainability and support
6 the quality elements that are likely to result in positive
7 youth outcomes; therefore, be it
 
8     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
9 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
10 there is established the After-school Funding Policy Task Force
11 to develop recommendations for the administration and
12 coordination of the after-school, mentoring, and student
13 support line item in the State Board of Education's budget; and
14 be it further
 
15     RESOLVED, That the After-school Funding Policy Task Force
16 be comprised of one representative from each of the following,
17 appointed by the Governor: the Governor's Office, the
18 Department of Human Services, the State Board of Education, the
19 Illinois After-school Partnership, the Illinois After-School
20 Alliance, the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention, Fight
21 Crime: Invest in Kids Illinois, the African American Coalition
22 for Prevention, the Illinois African-American Family
23 Commission, the Latino Coalition for Prevention, the Chicago

 

 

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1 Area Project, 4 Counties for Kids, Chicago Children and Youth
2 Services, one local government of a downstate municipality
3 designated by the Governor, After School Matters, and the
4 Franklin Neighborhood Community Association, as a
5 representative recipient of funding from the after-school,
6 mentoring, and student support line item, and up to 5
7 additional representatives as deemed appropriate by the
8 Governor; and be it further
 
9     RESOLVED, That the After-school Funding Policy Task Force
10 may invite additional members to join as needed for expertise
11 and consultation, including, but not limited to, members of the
12 General Assembly, after-school entities from other states,
13 university-represented experts in youth development, national
14 organizations, parents and youth, and funders; and be it
15 further
 
16     RESOLVED, That because this State has in place the Illinois
17 After-School Partnership, which has over the past 3 years
18 gathered data to support increased quality and availability of
19 after-school programs and has access to State and national
20 expertise on elements of a sound after-school system, we
21 recommend that these resources be considered during the
22 development of future funding policies; and be it further
 
23     RESOLVED, That the After-school Funding Policy Task Force

 

 

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1 shall undertake the following:
2         (1) develop recommendations for policies for the
3     after-school, mentoring, and student support line item
4     that outline priorities and administrative guidelines; and
5         (2) develop recommendations that allow sufficient
6     flexibility to meet community needs and require recipients
7     to adhere to baseline measures of accountability and assess
8     the feasibility of establishing this line item as a
9     sustainable source of after-school funding in addition to
10     current State-level programs; and be it further
 
11     RESOLVED, That the After-school Funding Policy Task Force
12 produce a report outlining policy recommendations no later than
13 October 1, 2007, which report must be filed with the Governor
14 and the General Assembly; and upon filing its report the Task
15 Force is dissolved; and be it further
 
16     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
17 delivered to the Governor.