The United States Congress has the opportunity to address several issues concerning after-school programs and youth development. Quality youth development programs can cut crime immediately and transform the prime time hours for juvenile crime (3-6 pm) into hours of academic enrichment, wholesome fun, and community service. In addition, the placement of after-school prevention programs in urban areas has led to steady declines in juvenile arrests and juvenile violent crime.

Legislation and appropriations Vote Kids support include:

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers
The federal government’s principal after-school program for elementary and secondary school students. These learning centers have been flat-funded at $1 billion for the fifth straight year despite their proven success and the widespread need for more and better programs. Every year the program does not receive an increase, the more children and youth are prevented access to after-school activities. Vote Kids recommends that 21st CCLC receive an appropriation level of at least $2.25 billion, the amount authorized for 2006 by President Bush’s “No Child Left Behind” education reform act.

Title I Grants to Local Education Agencies
Almost 18,000 schools did not make Adequate Yearly Progress under the achievement and accountability provisions of "No Child Left Behind," with over 10,000 designated as "in need of improvement." These schools must show improvement quickly under what are in many cases severe budget cutbacks. Most activities that schools will put in place to improve student achievement, such as after-school or summer school programs, enhanced and expanded professional development, or smaller class sizes, all require additional resources. In addition, over 7,000 school districts had their Title I funds cut in fiscal year 2004 due to inadequate funding levels. President Bush had proposed a 2006 budget which falls more than $9 billion short of what was authorized in the 2001 education reform act. Vote Kids supports keeping the commitment to fund Title I adequately by moving as close as possible to the authorized level of $22.75 billion.

Click below to help spotlight this legislation to invest more in quality afterschool programs: