Senate Supports After-School Programs

On September 21, the Senate approved, by unanimous consent, a resolution (S. Con. Res. 116) supporting the goals and ideals of “Lights On Afterschool!”, an annual event celebrating after-school programs.

Sponsored by Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-CT), the resolution contains a number of findings, including:

• More than 28 million children in the United States have parents who work outside the home, and 14.3 million children have no place to go after school;
• High-quality after-school programs support working families by ensuring that their children are safe and productive after the regular school day ends; and
• “Lights On Afterschool!”, a national celebration of after-school programs held on October 12, 2006, promotes the critical importance of high-quality after-school programs in the lives of children, their families, and their communities.Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) stated, “After-school programs are critical to the success of American families. These programs make it easier for parents to go to work because they know that their children are in a safe and nourishing environment. According to the Afterschool Alliance, 14.3 million children go home to an empty house every day. We must work to ensure these children have access to these programs that are vital to developing cultural and social skills, as well as the academic enrichment that the programs provide.”