[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1557 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1557

 To amend part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act of 1965 to improve 21st Century Community Learning Centers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 6, 2007

    Mr. Dodd (for himself, Mr. Ensign, Mr. Akaka, Ms. Collins, Mr. 
 Menendez, Mr. Cochran, Mr. Whitehouse, and Mr. Casey) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
                 Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend part B of title IV of the Elementary and Secondary Education 
    Act of 1965 to improve 21st Century Community Learning Centers.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``21st Century Community Learning 
Centers Act of 2007''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress makes the following findings:
            (1) More than 28,000,000 children in the United States have 
        parents who work outside the home and 14,300,000 children in 
        the United States are unsupervised after the school day ends.
            (2) 6,500,000 children are in after school programs but an 
        additional 15,300,000 would participate if such a program were 
        available.
            (3) After school programs inspire learning. In academic 
        year 2003-2004, 45 percent of all 21st Century Community 
        Learning Centers program participants had improved their 
        reading grades, and 41 percent improved their mathematics 
        grades.
            (4) In academic year 2003-2004 teachers reported that a 
        majority of students who participated in 21st Century Community 
        Learning Centers programs demonstrated improved student 
        behavior, particularly in the areas of academic performance, 
        homework completion, and class participation.
            (5) A growing body of research also suggests that children 
        who participate in after school programs attend school more 
        regularly, are more likely to stay in school, and are better 
        prepared for college and careers.
            (6) Benefits of after school programs extend beyond the 
        classroom. Communities with after school programs have reported 
        reduced vandalism and juvenile crime.
            (7) After school programs help working families. One study 
        estimates that decreased worker productivity due to stress and 
        absenteeism caused by issues related to after school care 
        arrangements costs employers $496 to $1,984 per employee, per 
        year, depending on the annual salary of the employee. The total 
        cost to the business industry is estimated to be between 
        $50,000,000,000 and $300,000,000,000 annually in lost job 
        productivity.
            (8) While students in the United States are falling behind 
        in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), 
        more than 90 percent of after school programs funded by 21st 
        Century Community Learning Centers offer STEM activities, 
        providing more time for children and youth to gain skills and 
        build interest in the STEM fields. Evaluations of after school 
        programs offering STEM activities to students have found 
        increases in the reading, writing, and science skills 
        proficiency of these students. Children who participate in such 
        programs show more interest in science careers, and are more 
        likely to have engaged in science activities just for fun.
            (9) Data from 73 after school studies indicate that after 
        school programs employing evidence-based approaches to 
        improving students' personal and social skills were 
        consistently successful in producing multiple benefits for 
        students, including improvements in students' personal, social, 
        and academic skills, as well as students' self-esteem.
            (10) Teens who do not participate in after school programs 
        are nearly 3 times more likely to skip classes than teens who 
        do participate. The teens who do not participate are also 3 
        times more likely to use marijuana or other drugs, and are more 
        likely to drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and engage in sexual 
        activity. In general, self care and boredom can increase the 
        likelihood that a young person will experiment with drugs and 
        alcohol by as much as 50 percent.
            (11) A 2006 study predicts that by the year 2010 more than 
        46 percent of school-age children in the Americas will be 
        overweight and 1 in 7 such children will be obese. A study of 
        after school program participants in 3 elementary schools found 
        that after school participants were significantly less likely 
        to be obese at the 3-year follow-up physical exam and were more 
        likely to have increased acceptance among their peers. After 
        school programs provide children and youth with opportunities 
        to engage in sports and other fitness activities.
            (12) After school programs have been identified as 
        effective venues for improving nutrition, nutrition education, 
        and physical activity at a time when just 20 percent of youth 
        in grades 9 through 12 consume the recommended daily servings 
        of fruits and vegetables.
            (13) After school programs also provide children and youth 
        with opportunities for service learning, a teaching and 
        learning approach that integrates student-designed service 
        projects that address community needs with academic studies. 
        With structured time to reflect on their service experience, 
        these projects can strengthen student engagement, enhance 
        students' academic achievement, lower school drop out and 
        suspension rates, and help develop important workforce skills 
        that employers are looking for, including leadership skills, 
        critical thinking, teamwork, and oral and written 
        communication.

SEC. 3. REFERENCES.

    Except as otherwise expressly provided, wherever in this Act an 
amendment or repeal is expressed in terms of an amendment to, or repeal 
of, a section or other provision, the reference shall be considered to 
be made to a section or other provision of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6301).

SEC. 4. 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS.

    (a) Purpose.--Section 4201 (20 U.S.C. 7171) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) by inserting ``service learning and nutrition 
                education,'' after ``youth development activities,''; 
                and
                    (B) by striking ``recreation programs'' and 
                inserting ``physical fitness and wellness programs''; 
                and
            (2) in subsection (b)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (2); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as 
                paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively.
    (b) Allotments to States.--Section 4202 (20 U.S.C. 7172) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking paragraph (1); and
                    (B) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 
                paragraphs (1) and (2), respectively; and
            (2) in subsection (c)(3)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                striking ``3 percent'' and inserting ``5 percent''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) Supporting State-level efforts and 
                infrastructure to ensure the quality and availability 
                of after school programs.''.
    (c) Award Duration.--Section 4204(g) (20 U.S.C. 7174(g)) is amended 
by striking the period and inserting ``, and are renewable for a period 
of not less than 3 years and not more than 5 years based on grant 
performance.''.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--Section 4206 (20 U.S.C. 7176) 
is amended to read as follows:

``SEC. 4206. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    ``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part 
such sums as may be necessary for fiscal year 2008 and each of the 5 
succeeding fiscal years.''.
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