A SENATE RESOLUTION supporting Indiana's out-of-school
time programs, and the positive impact of Indiana's 21st
Century Community Learning Centers.
, read first time and referred to Committee on
MADAM PRESIDENT:
I offer the following resolution and move its adoption:
A SENATE RESOLUTION supporting Indiana's
out-of-school time programs, and the positive impact of
Indiana's 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
Whereas, On a daily basis, 30 percent of Indiana's K-12
youth, a staggering 332,642 children, are left unattended
after school hours;
Whereas, Only 10 percent of Indiana's K-12 youth, or
112,379 children, are served by after school programs;
Whereas, The unemployment rate for high school
dropouts is 15.4 percent, compared to 9.4 percent for high
school graduates and 4.7 percent for college graduates;
Whereas, Between the hours of 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., when
children are out of school and parents are still at work,
children are left unsupervised and are most at risk for
juvenile crime, substance abuse, and teenage pregnancy.
After school programs have a proven record of keeping
children safe;
Whereas, Indiana's 21st Century Community Learning
Centers offer quality after school and summer programs that
keep children safe, improve student outcomes, and help
working families. Nearly 20,000 children in Indiana benefit
from these programs each year, and research shows that
these programs help boost academic achievement,
attendance, and positive behavioral development among
participating students; and
Whereas, The Indiana Senate commends the work of
Indiana's 21st Century Community Learning Centers and
their employees in providing children with a safe and
stimulating environment in the hours beyond the traditional
school day. These after school programs provide an
invaluable service to Indiana's children, families, and our
communities. Indiana's working families benefit from the
support of 21st Century Community Learning Centers, and
the safe and comfortable environments that they provide for
our children, and schools benefit from the support to
increase the academic performance necessary to meet the
growing challenges of preparing a 21st Century workforce:
Therefore,