[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 38 (Tuesday, March 6, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2714-S2718]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Mr. Burr, Mr. Kerry, and Mr. 
        Sanders):
  S. 778. A bill to amend title IV of the Elementary and Secondary 
Education Act of 1965 in order to authorize the Secretary of Education 
to award competitive grants to eligible entities to recruit, select, 
train, and support Expanded Learning and After-School Fellows that will 
strengthen expanded learning initiatives, 21st century community 
learning center programs, and after-school programs, and for other 
purposes; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, today I am introducing the Teaching 
Fellows for Expanded Learning and After-School Act to tap the idealism, 
energy, and talent of 2-year and 4-year college graduates to serve as 
teaching fellows in our Nation's highest need schools.
  The Act will establish a new cadre of talented leaders to establish, 
expand or improve expanded learning initiatives, 21st century community 
learning center programs and after-school programs. These programs will 
build essential academic and youth development skills for all students 
in targeted grade levels in expanded-day programs. They will also 
assist teachers during the school day in linking the school curriculum 
more closely with after school programming.
  As we know most Olympic athletes train harder when a gold medal is in 
sight. Employees work overtime when a business launches a breakthrough 
product. Communities rally to provide material relief and comfort when 
natural disasters strike. When success matters most, increased effort 
is essential for achieving a worthy goal, and that fundamental 
principle can work in education too.
  The time has come for the Nation to go the extra mile to meet our 
education goals and ensure that all children develop the skills they 
need to participate fully in our economy and in the civic life of their 
communities. If students are to learn more--the core premise of the No 
Child Left Behind Act--they must have more time to meet these 
expectations.
  Teaching Fellows recruited under this bill will receive intensive 
training by experienced high-quality after-school programs and will 
serve for two years. The Act will also enable Teaching Fellows to 
pursue a bachelor's or graduate degree in education, in order to give 
communities a pipeline of leaders ready for future involvement in 
education and youth development.
  For the most part, reform efforts to date have equated education 
reform with school reform. As a result our attention has been focused 
on the 1,000 hours a year children are in school, while largely 
overlooking the 4,000 hours a year when children are awake and out of 
school.
  Teachers must, of course, remain at the heart of our strategy to 
improve education. But they need help. We need to expand learning time, 
involve caring adults in the lives of children, and make learning more 
relevant and engaging, especially for students who are struggling.
  The school calendar today is largely a relic of the agrarian age. It 
fails to respond to the realities that students must develop new skills 
for modem needs, and that in most families, parents are working during 
many of the after-school hours. Fourteen million children come back to 
empty homes after school. Voters across party lines, demographic 
groups, and geographic areas have said for 5 consecutive years that 
they overwhelmingly support after-school programs for all. Police 
chiefs, sheriffs and prosecutors overwhelmingly agree that investing in 
after-school programs is more effective in reducing youth violence and 
crime than hiring more police officers or stiff penalties. Diverting 
less than one percent of at-risk youth from a life of crime would save 
society several times the cost of the after-school programs. It is time 
for a new learning day to dawn in our country. Our communities and our 
citizens need to waken to clear call for involvement and investment in 
this aspect of public education.
  The Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and After-School Act draws 
on the impressive experience of after-school programs and schools that 
have developed, and tested these ideas and shown they can work. The Act 
is inspired by the Teaching Fellowship Program created by Citizen 
Schools, a national network of after-school programs with a track 
record of significant impact on academic achievement. A rigorous, long-
term evaluation has shown that such students outperform their peers on 
six out of seven measures of school success.
  The Act also draws on the superb work of LA's BEST and After-School 
All-Stars, as well as the experience and innovations of other schools 
and programs across the country.
  Under the Act, the Department of Education will make grants to 
partnerships between local education agencies and strong community 
organizations, institutions of higher education, and community learning 
centers. These partnerships will recruit and place Teaching Fellows to 
work full-time in high-need schools that serve low-income students. 
Grants from the Department of Education will be at least $15,000 per 
Fellow annually, so that recipients can recruit, select, train, and 
support the Fellows. Fellows will also be able to earn a national 
service education award for each term of service. Partnerships will be 
required to obtain non-federal matching funds to leverage the federal 
government's investment and to involve the private sector in expanding 
these educational opportunities.
  Expanded learning time and after-school programs are the new frontier 
of education reform in America. Teaching Fellows recruited under the 
Act will complement the outstanding efforts of classroom teachers and 
infuse new energy, talent, and idealism in the after-school sector. 
They will also be an essential resource for the nation's parents, 
encouraging students to understand their potential and helping them to 
see the true promise of the American Dream.
  This bill is supported by thirty-seven groups representing education 
and after-school communities. I ask unanimous consent that their 
letters of support be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the letters were ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:


[[Page S2715]]




                             National Collaboration for Youth,

                                                February 16, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     Hon. Richard Burr,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Kennedy and Senator Burr: The National 
     Collaboration for Youth is writing to express its support of 
     the Teaching Fellow for Expanded Learning and After-School 
     (T-FELAS) Act.
       T-FELAS will establish a new service teacher corps and 
     expands learning and enrichment opportunities targeted 
     towards the hours after the school day ends. As a group that 
     focuses on youth, and particularly at-risk youth, we know the 
     need for expanded learning and positive youth development 
     experiences in the hours after school. We also know the 
     importance of developing the next generation of youth 
     workers, skilled in youth development practices and viewing 
     public service and youth work as a career, and this bill will 
     strive to do just that.
       We applaud the inclusion of youth development language, 
     especially the training in youth development for the Fellows, 
     and acknowledgment of the education youth workers receive 
     through both two- and four-year institutions of higher 
     education that provide accredited coursework in youth 
     development. Furthermore, as part of the evaluation of T-
     FELAS programs, implementing the interagency reach of the 
     Federal Youth Development Council as a place to disseminate 
     best practices will continue to move the field forward.
       We look forward to working with your office and the staff 
     of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as 
     this bill progresses towards enactment. Please do not 
     hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance.
       Thank you for your leadership, and public service.
           Sincerely,
         America's Promise--The Alliance for Youth, Marguerite 
           Kondracke, President and CEO, American Humanics Inc., 
           Kala M. Stroup Ph.D, President, Big Brothers Big 
           Sisters of America, Judy Vredenburgh, President and 
           CEO, Camp Fire USA, Jill Pasewalk, President and CEO, 
           Communities In Schools, Inc., Daniel Cardinali, 
           President, First Focus, Bruce Lesley, President, 
           Leadership & Renewal Outfitters, Janet R. Wakefield, 
           President and CEO, MENTOR/National Mentoring 
           Partnership, Gail Manza, Executive Director, National 
           4-H Council, Donald T. Floyd, Jr., President and CEO, 
           National Collaboration for Youth, Irv Katz, President 
           and CEO, National Network For Youth, Victoria Wagner, 
           President and CEO, Search Institute, Peter M. Benson, 
           Ph.D President and CEO, Youth Service America, Steven 
           A. Culbertson, President and CEO.
                                  ____



                             National AfterSchool Association,

                                                    March 5, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and 
         Pensions,
     Hon. Richard Burr,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Kennedy and Senator Burr: On behalf of the 
     National AfterSchool Association, I am pleased to offer our 
     support for the Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and 
     After-School (T-FELAS) Act of 2007. We appreciate your 
     attention to, and support for, the need for quality 
     afterschool programs and for attracting young professionals 
     to the field.
       By creating a cadre of talented young people to serve as 
     Fellows in expanded-day and afterschool programs, the T-FELAS 
     Act will help ensure that such programs are infused with 
     well-educated front-line staff who can support students in 
     activities that will enhance their development and success in 
     school. The Fellowships and opportunities to pursue 
     additional education should help attract graduates interested 
     in afterschool work, but who might not be able to enter the 
     field without such supports.
       Research shows that more highly-educated and well-trained 
     staff who understand how children develop are the key to high 
     quality afterschool programs. As the leading voice of the 
     afterschool profession, representing over 9,000 afterschool 
     practitioners, administrators, and policymakers, we at the 
     National AfterSchool Association applaud this creative 
     approach to bringing talented new workers into the field. We 
     look forward to working with you both on this initiative and 
     on approaches to address the larger issues of overall 
     compensation and training levels in the field that make long-
     term retention of staff difficult for afterschool programs.
       Thank you again for your leadership in ensuring that well-
     trained and supportive adults are available to enhance the 
     lives of our young people.
           Sincerely yours,
                                                    Judith N. Nee,
     President and CEO.
                                  ____



                                  Voices For National Service,

                                                February 23, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Kennedy: On behalf of Voices for National 
     Service, we are writing to thank you for sponsoring the 
     Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and After School Act 
     of 2007. This legislation addresses a critical need in 
     communities across our country and offers an exciting 
     opportunity to expand national service.
       The T-FELAS Act will recruit outstanding college graduates 
     to become Teaching Fellows and to serve in schools and after-
     school programs that serve low-income students. Through their 
     service, Teaching Fellows will take their first steps along a 
     pathway of service and educational leadership. These dynamic, 
     aspiring educators will earn Segal AmeriCorps Education 
     Awards which will support them as they go on to careers as 
     classroom teachers and after-school leaders. Their experience 
     in linking in-school and after-school learning will play a 
     critical role in advancing academic achievement and expanding 
     educational opportunity.
       Voices for National Service is a coalition of national 
     service organizations and state commissions from across the 
     country that provide direct services to communities in need, 
     matching the talents of committed citizens with service 
     opportunities in schools, community centers, senior homes, 
     health clinics, and national parks and recreation areas. 
     Collectively, we reach thousands of Americans in need every 
     day. We are excited to support this important initiative and 
     look forward to contributing to its success. The T-FELAS Act 
     will strengthen public education, create a powerful pipeline 
     of future educational leaders, and move students in schools 
     across the country toward the American Dream of college and 
     career opportunity.
       Sincerely,
         Karen Baker, Executive Director, California Volunteers; 
           Michael Brown, CEO, City Year, Nelda Brown, Executive 
           Director, National Service-Learning Partnership; Kyle 
           Caldwell, President & CEO, ConnectMichigan Alliance; 
           AnnMaura Connolly, Senior Vice President, City Year; 
           Calvin George, National Director, National Association 
           of Community Health Centers; Jacqueline Johnson, 
           Executive Director, Connecticut Commission for 
           Volunteer Services; Marsha Meeks Kelly, Executive 
           Director, Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service; 
           Marguerite Kondracke, President & CEO, America's 
           Promise; Michelle Nunn, CEO, Hands On Network; Sally 
           Prouty, President, The Corps Network, Eric Schwarz, 
           President, Citizen Schools; Dorothy Stoneman, 
           President, YouthBuild USA; Marty Weinstein, 
           Chairperson, California AmeriCorps Alliance.
                                  ____

                                      Illinois Center for Violence


                                                   Prevention,

                                                February 15, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     Russell Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Kennedy: We are writing to express its support 
     of the Teaching Fellow for Expanded Learning and After-School 
     (T-FELAS) Act, which will establish a new service teacher 
     corps and expands learning and enrichment opportunities 
     targeted towards the hours after the school day ends.
       The Illinois Center for Violence Prevention (ICVP) is a 
     leader on the issue of out-of-school time programs in the 
     state of Illinois. We have long supported strategies to 
     enhance the quality of out-of-schoo1 time services, since 
     high quality programs are able to provide extended learning 
     opportunities and positive youth development experiences for 
     our youth. ICVP coordinates the Illinois After-school 
     Partnership, co-chaired by our state's Department of Human 
     Services and our State Board of Education. The Partnership is 
     working on policy and program enhancements to increase the 
     quality and availability of out-of-school-time opportunities. 
     The Partnership has been examining the professional 
     development needs of the current and future workforce for 
     this field, and is participating in a state-wide effort to 
     increase career pathways for youth workers.
       The T-FELAS Act will be a valuable and needed tool that 
     will help develop the next generation of youth workers, 
     versed in essential youth development skills, and who view 
     public service and youth work as a career. We applaud the 
     inclusion of youth development language, especially the 
     training in youth development for the Fellows, and 
     acknowledgment of the education youth workers receive through 
     both two- and four-year institutions of higher education that 
     provide accredited coursework in youth development.
       Thank you for your public service and leadership on this 
     issue. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of 
     any assistance.
           Sincerely,
                                                    Debbie Bretag,
     Executive Director.
                                  ____



                                         Afterschool Alliance,

                                                February 16, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and 
         Pensions, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Richard Burr,
     U.S. Senate, Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Kennedy and Senator Burr: The Afterschool 
     Alliance is very pleased to have the opportunity to express 
     our support for the Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning 
     and After-School Act of 2007 (T-FELAS). This legislation will 
     expand the federal government's interest in and support for 
     afterschool programs that keep kids safe, improve academic 
     achievement, and

[[Page S2716]]

     support working families by investing in quality initiatives. 
     On behalf of the advocates, afterschool providers, 
     researchers and parents that make up the Alliance network, 
     thank you for your longstanding support for our goal of 
     Afterschool for All.
       Just as having a highly qualified teacher in the classroom 
     leads to student success, having well trained, skilled 
     leadership in afterschool programs ensures that the programs 
     provided contribute to children's academic and social 
     development and give young people the opportunities that will 
     assure their college and workplace readiness in the future. 
     The T-FELAS program will provide partnerships that offer 
     afterschool programs, including the 21st Century Community 
     Learning Centers, the chance to expand the quality and 
     capacity of services offered in targeted communities. It will 
     give individuals the financial support they need to pursue 
     careers in the afterschool field and to put their training 
     and talents to use serving children and families that need 
     their help most.
       The Alliance endorses this legislation and looks forward to 
     working with you in the future to translate our common vision 
     of high quality afterschool and expanded learning 
     opportunities for all into reality.
           Sincerely,

                                                   Jodi Grant,

     Executive Director.
                                  ____



                                                  First Focus,

                                                February 16, 2007.
     Hon. Edward Kennedy,
     Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and 
         Pensions, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, DC.
     Hon. Richard Burr,
     Russell Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Kennedy and Senator Burr: First Focus is 
     pleased to endorse the Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning 
     and After-School Act of 2007 (T-FELAS).
       Quality after-school programs are critical for the nation's 
     young people. After-school programs keep children safe and 
     productive while their parents are at work; however, less 
     than half of parents of 6- to 17-year-olds say there are 
     enough affordable afterschool programs according to a recent 
     study conducted for America's Promise--The Alliance for 
     Youth.
       T-FELAS will help to not only expand after-school 
     opportunities for young people, but it will also help to 
     ensure that new and existing after-school opportunities are 
     of high quality. We appreciate the emphasis placed on 
     positive youth development in your legislation, as well as 
     your inclusion of an independent evaluation and the 
     dissemination of best practices through the Federal Youth 
     Development Council. These measures will strengthen outcomes 
     for children and help to ensure that after-school programs 
     throughout the country benefit from the lessons learned by 
     the Expanded Learning and After-School Fellows.
       First Focus is a new bipartisan advocacy organization that 
     seeks to make children and their families the first focus of 
     federal budget and policy decisions. T-FELAS is an important 
     way to do so. We are pleased to support your efforts and look 
     forward to working with you.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Bruce Lesley,
     President.
                                  ____

                                        Next Generation Youth Work


                                                    Coalition,

                                                February 16, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     Russell Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Richard Burr,
     Russell Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Kennedy and Senator Burr: The Next Generation 
     Youth Work Coalition is writing to express its support of the 
     Teaching Fellow for Expanded Learning and After-School (T-
     FELAS) Act
       T-FELAS will establish a new service teacher corps and 
     expand learning and enrichment opportunities targeted towards 
     the hours after the school day ends. Both of these are much 
     needed improvements that will help ensure that children and 
     youth have the supports they need to succeed.
       The Next Generation Youth Work Coalition is a group of 
     individuals and organizations dedicated to developing a 
     strong, diverse after-school and youth development workforce 
     that is stable, prepared, supported and committed to the 
     well-being and empowerment of children and youth, and 
     particularly at-risk youth. We know the need for expanded 
     learning and positive youth development experiences in the 
     hours after school. We know the importance of developing the 
     next generation of youth workers, skilled in youth 
     development practices and viewing public service and youth 
     work as a career. Our research shows that those who chose to 
     work come from varied backgrounds but share a common belief--
     that they can make a difference.
       We applaud the inclusion of youth development language, 
     especially the training in youth development for the Fellows, 
     and acknowledgment of the education youth workers receive 
     through both two- and four-year institutions of higher 
     education that provide accredited coursework in youth 
     development. Furthermore, as part of the evaluation of T-
     FELAS programs, implementing the interagency reach of the 
     Federal Youth Development Council as a place to disseminate 
     best practices will continue to move the field forward.
       We look forward to supporting your office and the staff of 
     the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as this 
     bill progresses towards enactment. Please do not hesitate to 
     contact Pam Garza if we can be of any assistance: 
     [email protected] or (202) 347-2080 x15.
       Thank you for your leadership on behalf of the youth in our 
     nation.
           Sincerely,
     Karen Pittman,
       Co-Chair.
     Pam Garza,
       Co-Chair.
     Deb Crai,
       Co-Chair.
                                  ____

                                                February 19, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Richard Burr,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Burr: On behalf of the 
     board and staff of the Johns Hopkins University Center for 
     Summer Learning, it is my pleasure to express our support for 
     the Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and After-School 
     (T-FELAS) bill.
       This important legislation would enhance out-of-school time 
     learning opportunities for young people, and provide a new 
     mechanism for recruiting and retaining teachers and staff for 
     such programs. By offering fellowships to recent college 
     graduates who work in after-school and summer programs 
     serving Title I students, the bill would dramatically enhance 
     the quality and amount of learning opportunities available 
     for disadvantaged students. The program would result in a 25-
     30% increase in the time students spend engaged in learning 
     and improve a wide range of developmental outcomes for youth.
       In addition, the legislation would create a talented new 
     group of educators who specialize in motivating young people 
     to learn outside the traditional classroom. The fellows who 
     participate in the program will provide critical linkages 
     between the school day and after-school programs and become 
     dynamic future leaders in the field of education and youth 
     development.
       Thank you so much for supporting this legislation and 
     please feel free to contact me directly at (410) 516-6221 if 
     we can provide any assistance to this effort.
           Sincerely,

                                                Ron Fairchild,

                                               Executive Director,
     Center for Summer Learning.
                                  ____

                                                February 15, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     U.S. Senate,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Kennedy: I am writing in support of the 
     Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and After School Act 
     of 2007. The T-FELAS Act addresses a critical need for 
     schools, communities, and working families.
       It will dramatically strengthen after-school and expanded 
     learning time programs and make them full partners in 
     restoring the promise of educational opportunity for all 
     children.
       Teachers in our schools are doing their best, but America's 
     traditional 6-hour school day is obsolete. Our students need 
     more learning time, more caring adults involved in their 
     learning, and more relevant, hands-on learning activities 
     that inspire and motivate them.
       At Citizen Schools, we have seen firsthand the impact that 
     Teaching Fellows can make. Citizen Schools operates a 
     national network of after-school programs that advance 
     student achievement and mobilize adult volunteers to teach 
     hands-on apprenticeship courses. Our programs blend real-
     world learning projects with rigorous academic and leadership 
     development activities, preparing students in the middle 
     grades for success in high school, college, the workforce, 
     and civic life. Citizen Schools currently serves 3,000 
     students and engages 2,400 volunteers in California, 
     Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas. In 
     Massachusetts our programs operate in Boston, Lowell, Malden, 
     New Bedford, Worcester, and Springfield.
       Citizen Schools works intensively with low-income students, 
     most of whom are struggling academically. A rigorous 
     independent evaluation has reported that Citizen Schools' 
     students significantly out-performed a matched comparison 
     group on key metrics of school success and advancement, 
     including grades and standardized test scores.
       The Teaching Fellowship program that Citizen Schools has 
     piloted attracts dynamic, aspiring educators and community 
     builders to careers in education. In the morning our Fellows 
     support classroom teachers and in the afternoon they serve as 
     front-line teachers and team leaders at our after-school 
     programs. Teaching Fellows also have the opportunity to earn 
     a Master's Degree in Education, preparing them for careers as 
     teachers and educational leaders.

[[Page S2717]]

     Teaching Fellows have been the crucial factor in delivering 
     powerful results for our students.
       The T-FELAS Act will advance the achievement of our 
     neediest students and open new horizons of opportunity to 
     them. Thank you so much for your leadership in introducing 
     the T-FELAS Act.
           Sincerely,
                                                     Eric Schwarz,
     President and CEO.
                                  ____



                                            Save the Children,

                                Washington, DC, February 13, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     Russell Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Richard Burr,
     Russell Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Kennedy and Senator Burr: I am writing to 
     express Save the Children's support of the Teaching Fellow 
     for Expanded Learning and AfterSchool (T-FELAS) Act, which 
     will expand learning opportunities outside of the school day 
     and establish a new service teacher corps.
       Save the Children provides literacy and obesity prevention 
     programs after school and during the summer to children 
     living in poor, often isolated, rural areas. We know the 
     difference these activities make in their lives. Students in 
     our programs are not only safe during the critical hours from 
     3 to 6 p.m.; they are also doing better in school. Evaluation 
     results from the past three school years found that our 
     literacy program is improving the reading levels of regular 
     participants. Fifty-four percent of the children 
     participating made gains in reading proficiency greater than 
     would be expected if they were just attending school.
       We also know first-hand the difficulties of recruiting and 
     retaining trained, dynamic staff. The T-FELAS Act will assist 
     the caring individuals working with high-need children in 
     rural communities improve their qualifications by enabling 
     them to pursue an undergraduate or graduate level degree in 
     education, expanding their opportunities to in public 
     education and youth development programs.
       We look forward to working with you and the staff of the 
     Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as this bill 
     progresses towards enactment. Please do not hesitate to 
     contact us if we can be of any assistance.
           Sincerely,
                                                  Mark K. Shriver,
     Vice President and Managing Director.
                                  ____

                                                February 15, 2007.
       Dear Brenda Wright: I am writing in support of the T-Felas 
     bill that Senators Kennedy and Burr are sponsoring. As a 
     provider of high quality after school enrichment I would love 
     to see more awareness of the opportunity for extended 
     learning time and the strides that organizations such as ours 
     have made in the field. We have an incredible opportunity to 
     truly make a positive impact on the lives of these students 
     both academically and behaviorally.
           Thank you for your support of this bill.

                                               Jerri Fatticci,

                                    North Carolina State Director,
     Citizen Schools.
                                  ____

                                      Wellesley Centers for Women,
                                     Wellesley, MA, Feb. 16, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     Russell Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
     Hon. Richard Burr,
     Russell Senate Office Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Kennedy and Senator Burr: The National 
     Institute on Out-of-School Time is writing to express its 
     support of the Teaching Fellow for Expanded Learning and 
     After-School (T-FELAS) Act.
       T-FELAS will help ease the difficulty of recruiting and 
     paying new educators and leaders for high need schools and 
     afterschool programs. NIOST is actively involved in 
     developing increased educational opportunities for people who 
     choose afterschool as their profession and is excited about 
     how T-FELAS will also increase the viability of afterschool 
     as a professional career. Talented front-line educators are 
     needed to serve in expanded learning and after-school 
     environments to help students meet the ever-increasing 
     challenges of the real world.
       T-FELAS will encourage and enable qualified people 
     interested in teaching and afterschool to spend time learning 
     in the field while completing their own education. The 
     funding of dynamic Teaching Fellows to administer and improve 
     expanded-day programs and to also assist teachers during the 
     school day is a great plan. Research indicates that 
     relationships between school and afterschool staff can 
     contribute to positive academic and developmental outcomes 
     for youth. The Teaching Fellows have the potential of playing 
     an important role in supporting those relationships.
       The National Institute on Out-of-School Time looks forward 
     to watching this bill as it progresses towards enactment. 
     Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any 
     assistance.
           Sincerely,

                                                Ellen Gannett,

                               Director, The National Institute on
     Out-of-School Time.
                                  ____

                                                 Search Institute,
                                                February 14, 2007.
     Senator Edward Kennedy,
     317 Russell Building,
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Chairman Kennedy: I am writing to express my strong 
     support for the Teaching Fellows for Expanded Learning and 
     After-School Act. This bill, fondly known as T-FELAS, is an 
     exciting proposal that will recruit, train and place Fellows 
     in expanded learning and after-school environments.
       I am particularly gratified to see that the bill ensures 
     that each Fellow will be provided with training on the power 
     of positive relationships and the value of developmental 
     assets. This is so important! Research has consistently shown 
     that increased developmental assets promote academic success, 
     divert youth from risky behavior and give young people the 
     strengths they need to make positive choices in life.
       I assure you that providing the Fellows with training in 
     positive youth development and the 40 Developmental Assets 
     will have a dramatic and profound impact on their ability to 
     serve the youth under their care. When Fellows develop 
     sustained, strength-based relationships with children and 
     adolescents, these after-school and summer hours will produce 
     all the positive outcomes we hope to see from our students.
       Again, thank you for your service and your efforts to 
     ensure that all youth have an opportunity to thrive!
           Best regards,
                                              Peter Benson, Ph.D.,
     President.
                                  ____



                              Policy Studies Associates, Inc.,

                                Washington, DC, February 15, 2007.
     Senator Edward M. Kennedy,
     Chairman, HELP Committee, Hart Senate Building, Washington, 
         DC.
       Dear Senator Kennedy: I am writing in support of your bill 
     to amend ESEA Title II to create the Expanded Learning and 
     After-School Fellows program.
       I direct evaluations of large-scale after-school programs 
     in many locations, including Boston, New York City, statewide 
     in New Jersey, and rural America (as sponsored by Save the 
     Children). Our studies have consistently shown the value to 
     youth of staffing these programs with well-educated 
     individuals who have four-year college degrees. Such 
     individuals bring an understanding of the learning process 
     plus an enriched store of background knowledge. Because they 
     have completed a college education, they understand its value 
     and can communicate high standards and the value of hard work 
     to the youth with whom they work.
       In one example, from a 2004 multi-year evaluation of 
     programs in New York City sponsored by The After-School 
     Corporation (TASC), I wrote: In sites where at least 25 
     percent of project staff had a four-year college degree, 
     participants had more positive changes in test scores than in 
     TASC sites with a lower proportion of staff members with such 
     degrees (effect size of 0.14 in math and 0.13 in reading). 
     Staff with college degrees may be better able to see and to 
     exploit the varied learning opportunities embedded within 
     themes and topics adopted by after-school projects.
       You or your staff should call on me at any time if I can be 
     helpful with regard to this bill. I can be reached at (202) 
     939-5323 and at [email protected].
           Sincerely,
                                             Elizabeth R. Reisner,
      Principal.
                                  ____



                               The Forum for Youth Investment,

                                                February 19, 2007.
     Hon. Edward M. Kennedy,
     317 Russell Senate Office Building
     Washington, DC.
       Dear Senator Kennedy: The Forum for Youth Investment is 
     writing to express its support of the Teaching Fellows for 
     Expanded Learning and After-School (T-FELAS) Act.
       T-FELAS will establish a new service teacher corps and 
     expand learning and enrichment opportunities targeted towards 
     the hours after the school day ends. Both of these are much 
     needed improvements that will help ensure that children and 
     youth have the supports they need to succeed.
       The Forum for Youth Investment is committed to ensuring all 
     young people are Ready by 21TM--ready for college, 
     work and life. We know the need for expanded learning and 
     positive youth development experiences in the hours after 
     school. We know the importance of developing the next 
     generation of youth workers, skilled in youth development 
     practices and viewing public service and youth work as a 
     career. Our research shows that those who chose to work come 
     from varied backgrounds but share a common belief--that they 
     can make a difference.
       We applaud the inclusion of youth development language, 
     especially the training in youth development for the Fellows, 
     and acknowledgment of the education youth workers receive 
     through both two- and four-year institutions of higher 
     education that provide accredited coursework in youth 
     development. Furthermore, as part of the evaluation of T-
     FELAS programs, implementing the interagency reach of the 
     Federal Youth Development Council as a place to disseminate 
     best practices will continue to move the field forward.
       We look forward to supporting your office and the staff of 
     the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as this 
     bill progresses towards enactment. Please do not hesitate to 
     contact Nicole Yohalem if we can be of any assistance--at 
     [email protected] or (202) 207-3341.

[[Page S2718]]

       Thank you for your leadership on behalf of the youth in our 
     nation.
           Sincerely,

                                                Karen Pittman,

                                               Executive Director,
                                       Forum for Youth Investment.
                                 ______