When I worked to create the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, it was the first federal program to help fund afterschool programs, intended to keep children safe and learning after the school day ends.
The program has been a resounding success, with about 1.4 million children having been served. However, the program remains underfunded, leaving many children without appropriate care and guidance during the afterschool hours.
I recently joined a bipartisan effort to encourage the Senate’s Committee on the Budget to include additional funds for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program. If the additional funding is provided, more children can count on safe places to learn.
Research provides ample evidence of the positive impact of good afterschool programs. Children who regularly attend have better grades and behavior in school, lower incidences of drug use, violence and pregnancy, and are less likely to be either the perpetrators or victims of crime.
Just as I helped to start the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, you can count on me to continue to work for the success of these Centers and the students who attend them.
Sincerely,
![Barbara Boxer, US Senator, California](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/eot2008/20080921191154im_/http://boxer.senate.gov/i/bbsig_blue.gif)
Barbara Boxer
United States Senator