HJ0087 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0087 LRB094 16362 HSS 51613 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, According to a recent study by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, there are 174,168 Illinois youth ages 16 to 24 years old and 98,908 youth ages 16 to 21 years old who have not graduated from high school and are out of school; and

WHEREAS, This study outlines that in Illinois, of the 174,168 youth who are out of school without a high school diploma, 50,877 are White, 74,645 are Hispanic, 42,294 are Black, and 6,352 are listed as other; and

WHEREAS, The vast majority of Chicago area and downstate Illinois youth who are out of school without a high school diploma come from lower income areas; and

WHEREAS, The vast majority of these youth who are out of school without a high school diploma see themselves as students who want to return to school and earn a high school diploma, but there are currently not enough options and opportunities for many of these re-enrolled students; and

WHEREAS, A comprehensive system is needed for all students - those in school and those who want to return to school, but the school experience that will help "out of school students" succeed when they re-enroll must be different; people learn in different ways, and smaller schools offer a more personal, flexible, and accountable curriculum that successfully re-enrolls, teaches, and graduates these out of school students; and

WHEREAS, Illinois employers are experiencing a shortage of skilled workers, and these "re-enrolled students" could provide the needed addition to the workforce needs of the Illinois economy and Illinois businesses; and

WHEREAS, Eighty percent of prison inmates are students who left school without a high school diploma and, as such, can pose a problem in terms of crime and public safety to the general public in their communities and neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Out-of-school students without a high school diploma earn $516,000 less over their lifetimes than people who have a high school diploma and some college education; and

WHEREAS, The benefit to Illinois taxpayers is $312,000 over the lifetime of a "re-enrolled student" who returns to school and earns a high school diploma in terms of that person paying more taxes on his or her increased earnings as well as the reduced social costs in terms of his or her utilizing welfare services, mental health services, and other dependency services, and being less likely to enter prison or incur other costs related to crime; and

WHEREAS, There is significant research and program experience to draw on and use to develop successful programs to re-enroll, teach, and graduate students who left school before earning a high school diploma; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that there is created the "Task Force on Re-enrolling Students Who Dropped Out Of School" in order to examine and develop ways to address the growing issue of students who left school before earning a high school diploma; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the purpose of the Task Force is to examine policies, programs, and other issues related to developing a variety of successful approaches using best program practices to re-enroll, teach, and graduate students who left school before earning a high school diploma and, in doing so, improve community safety and the Illinois economy; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall be composed of the following members: 8 legislators (2 of whom shall be appointed by the President of the Senate, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House, 2 of whom shall be appointed by the House Minority Leader, and 2 of whom shall be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader); 1 representative of the State Board of Education appointed by the State Superintendent of Education; 1 representative of the Department of Human Services appointed by the Secretary of Human Services; 1 representative of the Department of Children and Family Services appointed by the Director of Children and Family Services; 1 representative of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; 1 representative of the Illinois Community College Board appointed by the President of the Illinois Community College Board; 8 representatives from the public (4 of which should come from schools/programs working with students who had left school before earning a high school diploma and 4 other appointees) appointed by the Governor, with one of these public representatives serving as chairperson of the Task Force; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the duties of the Task Force shall include conducting a series of public hearings throughout the State to discuss the impact of students who have left school without a high school diploma on various regions of the State, completing a review of data regarding students who have left school without a high school diploma that allows for a comparison of Illinois data both nationally and with other states in the region and across the country, completing a review of various financing and funding mechanisms used by other states, counties, cities, foundations, and other financial funding sources and producing a final report with recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on ways and means to address the challenge of re-enrolling students who have left school without a high school diploma; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall issue an interim report of its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly no later than January 10, 2007; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force shall issue a final report by January 10, 2008, and upon filing this report, the Task Force is dissolved.