PEORIA -- The first Illinois community meeting on a new state law setting up a framework for after school programs brought together advocates for these programs.
The July 19 meeting attracted Christopher Koch, Illinois State Superintendent of Schools, Kathy Ryg, director of Voices for Illinois Children and Karrie Reuter, of the Illinois Dept. of Human Services, with many Peoria area educators and agency heads in the large audience.
The event was convened by Ill. Rep. Jehan Gordon, D-Peoria, who pushed for passage of the law, SB 3543.
Advocates said the bill passed the General Assembly with bipartisan support, and will be signed by Gov. Pat Quinn on July 27.
It sets up the Illinois Youth Development Council to coordinate and strengthen after school programs, and will establish demonstration programs to evaluate best practices, outcomes and costs. But it carries no funding, only hope that private foundations will fund demonstration programs. The General Assembly must use a separate appropriation to fund it.
"I want to come up with a solution to violence" and other youth issues, including unsafe sexual activity after school, Gordon said.
She pointed to high STD rates in the Peoria area, with the rates growing the most among children ages 11-16.
Middle class parents routinely schedule after school activities for their children, from sports to music, art, dance and other lessons. But poor children are more likely to languish in front of a TV or amuse themselves on the streets, unsupervised.
"Approximately half of all K-12 children are either responsible for themselves or are left in a sibling's care after school hours," according to ACT Now, an agency that advocates for after school programs.
Audience members in a question session said the money needs to go to grass roots groups now providing activities. Gordon agreed. "It's hard to ensure the funding gets to the grass roots," she said. "In this program, the grass roots create the state program."
Reuter and Koch stressed evaluating the demonstration projects, and setting up systems to track children through the programs into adulthood. But no one offered details on how such programs should be evaluated.
Providers from programs run by the Peoria Urban League and the Peoria Boys and Girls Club were present and offered support for the new law. Someproviders talked about how poor children may have no role models or family members that care about them.
Others said children suspended or expelled from school should be sent to these programs, where they might find caring adults and mentors.
Koch said that idea should be explored further. "They aren't going to get better from putting them out on the street," he said.
Peoria regional superintendent Gerald Brookhart said Peoria County has 33,000 kids but only seven truant officers. He suggested storefronts in inner city neighborhoods "might have more credibility" than officials. "I don't have any credibility but others do. They know who's not in school," he said.
Reuter of DHS said, "before you expel the kids, call us, we can work with them," adding a phone call doesn't cost any money.
Ryg said her agency's website has state budget and policy analysis. ACT Now's website will follow the new legislation, she added.-- Elaine Hopkins
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