I
105TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2408
To improve academic and social outcomes for students by providing productive
activities during after school hours.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 4, 1997
Ms. LOFGREN introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To improve academic and social outcomes for students by
providing productive activities during after school hours.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘After School Education
and Safety Act of 1997’’.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to improve academic and
social outcomes for students by providing productive ac-
tivities during after school hours.
SEC. 3. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) Today’s youth face far greater social risks
than did their parents and grandparents.
(2) Students spend more of their waking hours
alone, without supervision, companionship, or activ-
ity than the students spend in school.
(3) Law enforcement statistics show that youth
who are ages 12 through 17 are most at risk of com-
mitting violent acts and being victims of violent acts
between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
(4) Greater numbers of students are failing in
school and the consequences of academic failure are
more dire in 1997 than ever before.
SEC. 4. GOALS.
The goals of this Act are as follows:
(1) To increase the academic success of stu-
dents.
(2) To improve the intellectual, social, physical,
and cultural skills of students.
(3) To promote safe and healthy environments
for students.
(4) To prepare students for workforce partici-
pation.
(5) To provide alternatives to drug, alcohol, to-
bacco, and gang, activity.
SEC. 5. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) SCHOOL.—The term ‘‘school’’ means a pub-
lic kindergarten, or a public elementary school or
secondary school, as defined in section 14101 of the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
(20 U.S.C. 8801).
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Education.
SEC. 6. PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.
The Secretary is authorized to carry out a program
under which the Secretary awards grants to schools to en-
able the schools to carry out the activities described in sec-
tion 7(a).
SEC. 7. AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES; REQUIREMENTS.
(a) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES.—
(1) REQUIRED.—Each school receiving a grant
under this Act shall carry out at least 2 of the fol-
lowing activities:
(A) Mentoring programs.
(B) Academic assistance.
(C) Recreational activities.
(D) Technology training.
(2) PERMISSIVE.—Each school receiving a
grant under this Act may carry out any of the fol-
lowing activities:
(A) Drug, alcohol, and gang, prevention
activities.
(B) Health and nutrition counseling.
(C) Job skills preparation activities.
(b) TIME.—A school shall provide the activities de-
scribed in subsection (a) only after regular school hours
during the school year.
(c) SPECIAL RULE.—Each school receiving a grant
under this Act shall carry out activities described in sub-
section (a) in a manner that reflects the specific needs
of the population, students, and community to be served.
(d) LOCATION.—A school shall carry out the activi-
ties described in subsection (a) in a school building or
other public facility designated by the school.
(e) ADMINISTRATION.—In carrying out the activities
described in subsection (a), a school is encouraged—
(1) to request volunteers from the business and
academic communities to serve as mentors or to as-
sist in other ways;
(2) to request donations of computer equip-
ment; and
(3) to work with State and local park and
recreation agencies so that activities that are de-
scribed in subsection (a) and carried out prior to the
date of enactment of this Act are not duplicated by
activities assisted under this Act.
SEC. 8. APPLICATIONS.
Each school desiring a grant under this Act shall sub-
mit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such
manner, and accompanied by such information as the Sec-
retary may require. Each such application shall—
(1) identify how the goals set forth in section
4 shall be met by the activities assisted under this
Act;
(2) provide evidence of collaborative efforts by
students, parents, teachers, site administrators, and
community members in the planning and adminis-
tration of the activities;
(3) contain a description of how the activities
will be administered;
(4) demonstrate how the activities will utilize or
cooperate with publicly or privately funded programs
in order to avoid duplication of activities in the com-
munity to be served;
(5) contain a description of the funding sources
and in-kind contributions that will support the ac-
tivities; and
(6) contain a plan for obtaining non-Federal
funding for the activities.
SEC. 9. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this Act $50,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 1998
through 2002.
Æ