I

106TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 5227

To amend the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act to expand

after-school activities and services.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

SEPTEMBER 20, 2000

Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey (for himself and Mr. GARY MILLER of California)

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on

Education and the Workforce

A BILL

To amend the 21st Century Community Learning Centers

Act to expand after-school activities and services.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. PROGRAM EXPANSION.

4 The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Act

5 (20 U.S.C. 8241 et seq.) is amended to read as follows:

6 ‘‘PART I—21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING

7 CENTERS

8 ‘‘SEC. 10901. SHORT TITLE.

9 ‘‘This part may be cited as the ‘21st Century Com10 munity Learning Centers Act’.
2

•HR 5227 IH

1 ‘‘SEC. 10902. FINDINGS.

2 ‘‘Congress finds the following:

3 ‘‘(1) Each day during the school year, millions

4 of children return to unsupervised homes after

5 school. Each week, between 5,000,000 and

6 15,000,000 children return from school to empty

7 homes.

8 ‘‘(2) Child care experts believe that there is a

9 direct correlation between the degree of after-school

10 supervision and grade completion. Students who

11 have little or no after-school supervision are more

12 apt to receive poor grades or to drop out of school

13 than students who are engaged in supervised, con14 structive activities.

15 ‘‘(3) A recent study found that twice as many

16 parents want supervised after-school programs for

17 their children than are currently available.

18 ‘‘(4) Statistically, most juvenile crime takes

19 place between the hours of 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.

20 and our children are most at risk of being victims

21 of crime during the hours after school. Quality after22 school programs help to protect our children while

23 affording them enhanced opportunities to succeed

24 academically.

25 ‘‘(5) Twenty-first century community learning

26 centers serve as a marvelous local resource for our
3

•HR 5227 IH

1 communities to develop the best strategies to inte2 grate after-school programs into the whole education

3 of their youth. Strategies developed locally best fit

4 the unique needs of each community and those of its

5 school-aged citizens.

6 ‘‘SEC. 10903. PROGRAM AUTHORIZATION.

7 ‘‘(a) GRANTS BY THE SECRETARY.—The Secretary is

8 authorized, in accordance with the provisions of this part,

9 to award grants to rural and inner-city schools and organi10 zations, or consortia of such schools or organizations, to

11 enable such schools or organizations to plan, implement,

12 or to expand after-school projects that benefit the edu13 cational, health, social service, cultural, and recreational

14 needs of a rural or inner-city youth.

15 ‘‘(b) EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION.—In awarding

16 grants under this part, the Secretary shall assure an equi17 table distribution of assistance among the States, among

18 urban and rural areas of the United States, and among

19 urban and rural areas of a State.

20 ‘‘(c) GRANT PERIOD.—The Secretary shall award

21 grants under this part for a period not to exceed 3 years.

22 ‘‘(d) AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall not award a

23 grant under this part in any fiscal year in an amount less

24 than $40,000.
4

•HR 5227 IH

1 ‘‘SEC. 10904. APPLICATION REQUIRED.

2 ‘‘(a) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to receive a grant

3 under this part, a school or organization, or consortia of

4 such schools or organizations, shall submit an application

5 to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accom6 panied by such information as the Secretary may reason7 ably prescribe. Each such application shall include—

8 ‘‘(1) a comprehensive local plan that enables

9 the school or organization, or consortia of such

10 schools or organizations, to serve as a center for the

11 delivery of education and human resources for youth

12 through after-school programs;

13 ‘‘(2) an evaluation of the needs, available re14 sources, and goals and objectives for the proposed

15 project in order to determine which activities will be

16 undertaken to address such needs; and

17 ‘‘(3) a description of the proposed project,

18 including—

19 ‘‘(A) a description of the mechanism that

20 will be used to disseminate information in a

21 manner that is understandable and accessible to

22 the community;

23 ‘‘(B) identification of Federal, State, and

24 local programs to be merged or coordinated so

25 that public resources may be maximized;
5

•HR 5227 IH

1 ‘‘(C) a description of the collaborative ef2 forts to be undertaken by community-based or3 ganizations, related public agencies, businesses,

4 or other appropriate organizations;

5 ‘‘(D) a description of how the school, orga6 nization, or consortia of such schools or organi7 zations, will serve as a delivery center for exist8 ing and new after-school services; and

9 ‘‘(E) an assurance that the school, organi10 zation, or consortia of such schools or organiza11 tions, will establish a facility utilization policy

12 that specifically states—

13 ‘‘(i) the rules and regulations applica14 ble to building and equipment use; and

15 ‘‘(ii) supervision guidelines.

16 ‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give priority to

17 applications describing projects that offer a broad selec18 tion of services which address the needs of youth in after19 school programs.

20 ‘‘SEC. 10905. USES OF FUNDS.

21 ‘‘Grants awarded under this part may be used to

22 plan, implement, or expand community learning centers.

23 ‘‘SEC. 10906. DEFINITIONS.

24 ‘‘For the purpose of this part—
6

•HR 5227 IH

1 ‘‘(1) the term ‘‘community learning center’’

2 means an entity that provides educational, rec3 reational, health, and social service programs for

4 youth within a local community;

5 ‘‘(2) the term ‘‘organization’’ means a youth

6 development group, local charity, religious organiza7 tion, community-based organization, or faith-based

8 organization;

9 ‘‘(3) the term ‘‘school’’ means a public elemen10 tary or secondary school.

11 ‘‘(4) the term ‘‘after-school program’’ means a

12 child care program to assist working parents when

13 school is not in session, including before- and after14 school, weekends, holidays, and vacations.

15 ‘‘SEC. 10907. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

16 ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated

17 $1,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2001, and such sums as

18 may be necessary for each succeeding fiscal year there19 after, to carry out this part.’’.

Æ