Chapter 087
2009 -- H 5802
Enacted 07/09/09
A N A C T
RELATING TO EDUCATION
Introduced By: Representatives Fox, Silva, Ferri, Kilmartin, and Martin
Date Introduced: February 26, 2009
It is enacted by the
General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Title 16 of the General Laws entitled
"EDUCATION" is hereby amended
by adding thereto the following chapter:
CHAPTER
88
16-88-1.
Short title. -- This act shall be known and may
be cited as the "
After School and Summer Learning Program Act".
16-88-2.
Findings. – (a) The
general assembly hereby finds that participating in high
quality after school and summer learning programs provides
children and youth needed resources
to succeed in school and in life.
(b) The general
assembly also finds that in 2005, seventy-four percent (74%) of children
ages six (6) to seventeen (17) in
p.m. are the peak hours for juvenile crime and
experimentation with drug, alcohol, cigarettes and
sex. Differences in summer learning accounted for
sixty-five percent (65%) of the gap in reading
scores between upper-income students who went to four (4)
year colleges and low-income high-
school dropouts. After school programs have been shown to
support local schools by providing
children and youth with opportunities to engage in hands-on
activities that hold students' interests
and develop their skills and a sense of competence.
(c) The general
assembly also finds that the need for after school and summer learning
programs is demonstrated by the
after school and summer learning programs funding. In each
of the competitions; almost double
the money has been requested than was available for
funding.
(d) Furthermore, the
general assembly finds that there is an existing infrastructure of after
school and summer learning programs in
kindergarten to 12th grade that is supported through state and
federal investments in child care,
21st century community learning centers program, child
opportunity zones, community-based
organizations and public schools. It is the intent of the general
assembly to support a system of
publicly-funded, high quality after school and summer learning
programs that are operated
through a diverse delivery network, including child care,
21st century community learning centers
program, child opportunity zones, community-based
organizations and public districts.
(e) By enacting this
law, the general assembly acknowledges the need to adequately
prepare all children to succeed in school and life by
providing access to publicly-funded high
quality after school and summer learning programs.
16-88-3. Planning
phase for a demonstration afterschool and summer
learning
program. -- (a)
The
planning an initial, demonstration after school and summer
learning program that meets high
quality standards, is age/grade appropriate, runs programming
during the hours of 3:00 p.m.
through 6:00 p.m. during the week, promotes the healthy
development of youth, connects to the
school day, builds on the existing after school and summer
learning infrastructure in the state
(including child care, 21st
century community learning centers program, child opportunity zones,
community-based organizations and public schools),
incorporates experiential learning,
social/emotional development and project-based activities and serves
all children and youth from
kindergarten to 12th grade with an emphasis on children and youth
who attend high poverty, low
performing schools. This planning phase will develop specific
goals to expand the demonstration
after school and summer learning program over time and will
also identify opportunities to
strengthen learning opportunities for children and youth.
(b) During this
planning phase, the
secondary education will: (1) Quantify the resources needed to
achieve and maintain high quality
standards based on existing quality standards in after school
and summer learning programs; (2)
Identify incentives and supports to develop a
qualified workforce, including opportunities for
professional development, planning time and staff development.
(c) The
develop plans to collect and analyze data regarding the
impact of the demonstration after school
and summer learning program on participating children's
school achievement, behavior during
school hours and social/emotional development.
16-88-4.
Reporting. -- The
education shall issue an interim report by February 26, 2010 to
the general assembly and the
governor and submit a final report on the progress of the
demonstration planning phase no later
than May 30, 2010.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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