HR0384enr 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0384 Enrolled LRB095 12068 NHT 35838 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION 384

WHEREAS, There is clear evidence that quality after-school programs can achieve positive outcomes for children and youth in the areas of safety, academics, health and prevention, social and emotional skill building, civic engagement, and development of 21st century skills, making after-school programs a valuable and needed community service; and

WHEREAS, It is important for after-school programs to demonstrate characteristics of quality indicated by research to increase the likelihood of achieving positive outcomes for children and youth in their programs; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has multiple funding streams supporting after-school programs with distinct funding policies and priorities that are not coordinated across administering State agencies, resulting in gaps and overlaps of services; and

WHEREAS, The demonstrated need in communities for after-school services far outweighs the current available funding; and

WHEREAS, The majority of Illinois citizens report that there are not enough after-school opportunities in their communities; and

WHEREAS, Illinois has seen increasing investment in after-school programs by members of the General Assembly in response to the need for after-school programming; this increased funding needs to be strengthened with structures that ensure access, accountability, and sustainability and support the quality elements that are likely to result in positive youth outcomes; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that there is established the After-school Funding Policy Task Force to develop recommendations for the administration and coordination of the after-school, mentoring, and student support line item in the State Board of Education's budget; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the After-school Funding Policy Task Force be comprised of the following members:

(1) one representative from the Governor's Office, appointed by the Governor;

(2) one representative of the Department of Human Services, appointed by the Secretary of Human Services;

(3) one representative of the State Board of Education, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education;

(4) one representative (who shall serve as the convener of the Task Force) of an organization that is both (i) coordinated by a group with a goal of preventing violence and (ii) composed of members that include the Department of Human Services, the State Board of Education, and various other organizations that provide after-school programming, appointed by such an organization;

(5) one representative of a statewide after-school advocacy group, appointed by the Governor;

(6) one representative of a statewide organization professionally supporting one-to-one mentoring programs and services, appointed by the Governor;

(7) one representative of a statewide violence prevention organization, appointed by the Governor;

(8) one representative of a statewide group representing law enforcement, appointed by the Governor;

(9) one representative of a statewide group representing the African-American community, appointed by the Governor;

(10) one representative of a statewide group representing the Latino community, appointed by the Governor;

(11) two local government representatives, one from the City of Chicago appointed by the mayor of the City of Chicago and one from a city other than the City of Chicago appointed by the Governor;

(12) one representative of a Chicago-based after-school program that receives funding from the after-school, mentoring, and student support line item, appointed by the general superintendent of schools of City of Chicago School District 299;

(13) one representative of a downstate after-school program that receives funding from the after-school, mentoring, and student support line item, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education; and

(14) up to 5 additional representatives appointed by the Governor, as deemed appropriate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the After-school Funding Policy Task Force may invite additional members to join as needed for expertise and consultation, including, but not limited to, members of the General Assembly, after-school entities from other states, university-represented experts in youth development, national organizations, parents and youth, and funders; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this State has in place the Illinois After-school Partnership, which has over the past 3 years gathered data to support increased quality and availability of after-school programs and has access to State and national expertise on elements of a sound after-school system; these resources will be considered during the development of future funding policies; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the After-school Funding Policy Task Force shall undertake the following:

(1) develop policy recommendations for the after-school, mentoring, and student support line item that outline the priorities, guidelines, appropriate administrative structures, and accountability systems that allow sufficient flexibility to meet community needs and require recipients to adhere to baseline measures of accountability and to establish this line item as a sustainable source of after-school funding in addition to current state-level programs; and

(2) develop policy recommendations that ensure adequate support for the administering agency to fund program monitoring, data collection, and accountability systems, professional development and technical assistance, and program evaluations for recipients of this funding and to provide technical assistance to organizations not previously funded by this State to increase their capacity to provide quality services; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the After-school Funding Policy Task Force shall produce a report outlining policy recommendations no later than October 1, 2007, which report must be presented to all appropriate House committees for approval; and upon presenting its report the Task Force is dissolved; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be delivered to the Governor, the Secretary of Human Services, the State Superintendent of Education, and the general superintendent of schools of City of Chicago School District 299.