June 5, 2007

Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Senator John Ensign (R-NV) will introduce legislation tomorrow to provide children with safe, healthy, and academically-focused afterschool programs.  The Improving 21^st Century Community Learning Centers Act of 2007 would enhance afterschool program quality and sustainability, address the obesity epidemic by including physical fitness and wellness programs in the list of possible programming activities, and encourage volunteerism.  Senator Dodd is a senior member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) and the Chairman of its Subcommittee on Children and Families.

“More than 14 million children enrolled in kindergarten through 12^th grade spend time unsupervised in the hours after school,” said Dodd.  “Between the hours of 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm, while parents are at work, kids are most likely to experiment with risky behaviors.  To the contrary, students who regularly attend afterschool programs receive better grades and demonstrate behavior in school, exhibit better peer relations and emotional adjustment, and display lower incidences of drug-use, violence, and pregnancy.  America’s families rely on afterschool programs to give their children the opportunity to be engaged in high quality learning activities that will enhance their children’s success in school and in life.”

“Afterschool programs ensure that students have a safe place to go when parents are at work but the school day has ended,” said Senator John Ensign, a father of three.  “These programs do more than that.  They provide an environment that promotes education, physical exercise and other key activities that help children excel in all areas of life.”

• The Afterschool Alliance

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of America

• YMCA of the USA

• The National Collaboration for Youth

• National Education Association

• First Focus and America’s Promise

• The Alliance for Youth

• National Afterschool Association

• Save the Children

• National Recreation and Park Association

• American Association of School Administrators

• The American Heart Association

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