HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 89
(
By Delegates Marshall, Houston, Beach, Frich, Amores, Argento,
Azinger, Barker, Beane, Boggs, Brown, Browning, Butcher, Campbell,
Cann, Canterbury, Carmichael, Craig, Crosier, DeLong, Doyle,
Eldridge, Hamilton, Hartman, Hatfield, Hrutkay, Hunt, Iaquinta,
Kominar, Leach, Leggett, Longstreth, Louisos, Mahan, Manchin,
Martin, Michael, Miley, Moore, Morgan, Palumbo, Paxton, Pethtel,
Perry, Poling, Romine, Spencer, Stalnaker, Staton, Stephens,
Susman, Tabb, Talbott, Tansill, Trump, Wakim, Walters, Webster,
Wells, G. White, H. White, Williams, Wysong and Yost)
Requesting the West Virginia Department of Education, the Office of
the Secretary of Education and the Arts, and the West Virginia
University Extension Service (4-H, Youth Development Program
Unit) to convene and cochair a task force, to be known as the
West Virginia After School Partnership that may include state
agencies and private and nonprofit organizations concerned
with care of school age children; the Education Alliance;
parks and recreation agencies or associations; private
foundations; civic and cultural organizations; community-based
youth service providers; faith-based communities; higher
education institutions; child and youth advocacy organizations; alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse
prevention providers; parent and youth representatives; and
other related agencies and organizations that serve children
and youth in this state to study after school programs across
this state, to identify effective programs, areas of need and
to develop plans and funding sources to provide high quality
after school programs.
Whereas, Children who attend after school programs (also termed
out of school time learning opportunities including organized
before and after school and summer programs) spend more time in
learning opportunities, academic enrichment, and physical activity
and spend less time watching television and engaging in risky
behavior than their peers; and
Whereas, A post-election national poll conducted for the After
School Alliance showed that eight of ten voters agree that funding
should increase for after school programs and 76% said they would
even support a tax increase if it meant increased funding for such
programs; and
Whereas, A study by the Rose Institute in California concluded
that the return to taxpayers of an investment in after school
programs ranges from $2.29 to $3.04 for every dollar spent in areas
of reduced child care costs, improved school performance, increased
compensation, reduced crime costs and reduced welfare costs; and
Whereas, Current data shows that the violent juvenile crime rate climbs and children are most likely to be victims of a violent
crime committed by a nonfamily member between the hours immediately
after school until 6:00 p.m.; and
Whereas, Current data (the America After 3:00 p.m. Household
Survey on After School Care Arrangements conducted for the After
School Alliance) shows that in West Virginia in 2002-2003, 16% of
K-12 children were responsible for taking care of themselves after
school -- spending an average of more than six hours per week
unsupervised after school; and
Whereas, In 2004, the West Virginia Department of Education
received 32 proposals requesting funding of 21
st Century Community
Learning Center after school programs that would have served 29,683
children in the State, but funding was available for only twelve
grants serving 8,224 children; and
Whereas, More than 27% of K-12 children in self-care in West
Virginia would be likely to participate in an after school program
if one were available in the community (America After 3: p.m.
Household Survey on After School Care Arrangements, After school
Alliance); and
Whereas, A recent report from "Fight Crime: Invest in Kids"
indicates that the Child Care Development Block Grant to help
low-income parents pay for child care could only serve 25% of
eligible West Virginia children. The report states further that
child care center teacher wages in West Virginia average only $13,400 resulting in high staff turnover, inadequately trained
staff, and low quality care; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the West Virginia Department of Education, the Office of
the Secretary of Education and the Arts, and the West Virginia
University Extension Service (4-H, Youth Development Program Unit)
are requested to convene and cochair a task force, to be known as
the West Virginia After School Partnership that may include state
agencies and private and nonprofit organizations concerned with
care of school age children; the Education Alliance; parks and
recreation agencies or associations; private foundations; civic and
cultural organizations; community based youth service providers;
faith based communities; higher education institutions; child and
youth advocacy organizations; alcohol, tobacco, and substance abuse
prevention providers; parent and youth representatives; and other
related agencies and organizations that serve children and youth in
this state; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the activities of the West Virginia
After School Partnership do not include a request for funding at
this time and should include: (i) Conducting an assessment of the
state of after school services in West Virginia including the
identification of the number of children and youth served statewide
in after school programs, identification of provider programs and
service regions, the need for after school programs in the state, the identification and description of the needs of providers in
sustaining high quality programs, and a description of current
funding streams supporting after school programs; (ii) creating a
plan to establish a network of partners engaged in after school
programs for school age children and youth to promote practices
which are high quality and programs that are accessible and
sustainable; and (iii) developing recommendations for ensuring
access to high quality after school programs for all school age
children in the State; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the West Virginia After School
Partnership is requested to provide recommendations for public
policies to increase the availability and improve the
sustainability of high quality after school programs and identify
funding sources to further the work of the Partnership from public
and private sectors; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the West Virginia Department of
Education, the Office of the Secretary of Education and the Arts
and the West Virginia University Extension Service (4-H, Youth
Development Program Unit) are requested to report to the Governor
and Legislature on the West Virginia After School Partnership
during the 2006 Legislative session.
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