[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 41 (Tuesday, March 16, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E439]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IMPORTANCE OF AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ELLEN O. TAUSCHER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 16, 1999

  Mrs. TAUSCHER. Mr. Speaker, I had planned to offer two amendments 
concerning after-school programs for children to H.R. 800, the 
Education Flexibility Partnership Act. After consultation with Chairman 
Mike Castle, I have decided against offering the amendments and have 
agreed to work with the chairman to highlight the importance of after-
school activities for schoolchildren and the need for a national 
discourse on this topic.
  I believe we should do everything on the Federal level to promote 
quality, after-school care for students, and after-school educational 
activities for at-risk juveniles.
  Every day at 3 p.m., the final school bell rings and hundreds of 
classrooms across America stand empty until the next day. Numerous 
studies have shown that between the hours of 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. is when 
the majority of juvenile crimes occur.
  It is also the same time period when moms and dads begin to anxiously 
watch the clock at work, worrying about their children being home 
alone.
  Doesn't it make sense for schools to use this readily available space 
to provide after-school activities rather than send the school kids 
home alone to an empty house? After school programs will addresses the 
needs of working parents who want a safe haven for their children 
during non-school hours.
  Quality, after-school care can also have tremendous academic 
benefits. It can overcome learning difficulties created by overcrowded 
classrooms and high teacher-student ratios which are common problems in 
America's public schools. After-school child care programs also provide 
the working parents of the five to twelve million latchkey children in 
the United States, with the peace of mind that their children are in a 
safe and supervised environment after school.
  After-school educational programs for at-risk youth have been shown 
to reduce the incidence of crime on school campuses and enhance the 
academic achievements for at-risk juveniles.
  We must encourage schools to provide quality, after-school activities 
as a way to complement other programs that are designed to promote 
academic achievement. Education does not end when the last school bell 
rings. Let's work together to help children reach their highest 
potential.
  I would like to thank Chairman Castle for his leadership on after-
school programs. It is a pleasure to collaborate with him on this 
important issue which has significant implications on our children's 
future.

                          ____________________