I
105TH CONGRESS
2D SESSION
H. R. 4621
To provide for grants, a national clearinghouse, and a report to improve
the quality and availability of after-school programs.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
SEPTEMBER 24, 1998
Mr. CASTLE (for himself, Mr. BOEHLERT, Mr. ENGLISH of Pennsylvania, Mr.
FOLEY, Mr. FOX of Pennsylvania, Mr. DOOLEY of California, Mr. GIL-
MAN, Mr. HINOJOSA, Mr. LAZIO of New York, Mr. QUINN, Mr. SAWYER,
and Mr. SHAYS) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To provide for grants, a national clearinghouse, and a report
to improve the quality and availability of after-school
programs.
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 Children’s
Education (ACE) Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Children’s activities outside of school have
a critical and long lasting impact on school achieve-
ment and future success.
(2) Approximately 24,000,000 school-age chil-
dren are in need of adult supervision while their par-
ents are at work.
(3) Experts estimate that almost 5,000,000
school-age children spend time without adult super-
vision during a typical week and that these children
are more likely to engage in risky behavior such as
drug and alcohol abuse, sexual activity, loitering on
street corners, and truancy.
(4) The prosperity of the Nation depends upon
maximizing and fulfilling the potential of its young
people.
(5) Many parents report that they would like to
enroll their children in after-school enrichment ac-
tivities but that they are prevented from doing so by
prohibitive costs, transportation difficulties, worries
about neighborhood safety, and a shortage of avail-
able options.
(6) While there are gaps in the availability of
after-school programs, there are many outstanding
programs for the Nation’s youth, including programs
sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America,
the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of Amer-
ica, YMCAs, mentoring programs, and athletic and
other programs operated by public schools, churches,
day care centers, parks, recreation centers, family
day care, community organizations, law enforcement
agencies, service providers, and nonprofit organiza-
tions.
(7) Before the United States can meaningfully
expand the supply of after-school programs, accurate
information must be available regarding the types of
after-school programs available, significant areas of
unmet need in the quality and availability of after-
school programs, barriers which prevent or deter the
participation of children in after-school programs,
and barriers to improving the quality and availability
of after-school programs.
SEC. 3. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM GRANTS.
The Child Care and Development Block Grant Act
of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 9858 et seq.) is amended—
(1) in section 657A(b)(3), by inserting ‘‘, in-
cluding after-school programs’’ after ‘‘child care’’;
(2) 
in 
section 
657B, 
by 
striking
‘‘$1,000,000,000’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,010,000,000’’;
and
(3) by inserting after section 658G the follow-
ing new section:
‘‘SEC. 658H. AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM GRANTS.
‘‘A State that receives funds to carry out this Act
for a fiscal year shall use not less than 1 percent of the
amount of such funds, in coordination with child care re-
source and referral centers to the extent practicable for
activities that are designed to improve the quality and
availability of after-school programs, including one or
more of the following:
‘‘(1) Informational assistance, including assist-
ance to kindergartens, elementary schools, and high
schools within the State, for placement of children in
kindergarten through high school in age-appropriate,
enriching after-school programs.
‘‘(2) Coordination of after-school programs.
‘‘(3) Development of innovative, age-appro-
priate, age-appealing, and enriching after-school pro-
grams.
‘‘(4) Development of creative funding strategies
to help make after-school programs affordable for all
parents.’’.
SEC. 4. CLEARINGHOUSE FOR AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS.
The Secretary of Health and Human Services,
through the Commissioner on Children, Youth, and Fami-
lies and in consultation with State child care agencies and
child care resource and referral centers, shall establish a
clearinghouse to provide technical assistance regarding es-
tablishment and operation of after-school programs and
models of after-school programs. The clearinghouse shall
be available to the public, including via Internet, and shall
serve as a resource for communities and individuals seek-
ing to improve the quality and availability of after-school
programs.
SEC. 5. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE REPORT.
Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment
of this Act, the General Accounting Office shall transmit
to Congress a report containing the following:
(1) For each State, a description of the types
of after-school programs that are available for stu-
dents in kindergarten through grade 12, including
programs sponsored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of
America, the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts
of America, YMCAs, and athletic and other pro-
grams operated by public schools and other State
and local agencies.
(2) For 15 communities selected to represent a
variety of regional, population, and demographic
profiles, a detailed analysis of all of the after-school
programs that are available for students in kinder-
garten through grade 12, including programs spon-
sored by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the
Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of America,
YMCAs, mentoring programs, athletic programs,
and programs operated by public schools, churches,
day care centers, parks, recreation centers, family
day care, community organizations, law enforcement
agencies, service providers, and nonprofit organiza-
tions.
(3) For each State, a description of significant
areas of unmet need in the quality and availability
of after-school programs.
(4) For each State, a description of barriers
which prevent or deter the participation of children
in after-school programs.
(5) For each State, a description of barriers to
improving the quality and availability of after-school
programs.
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