Resolution 080782

..Title Calling on the City Council Committee on Education to hold hearings investigating the status of after school programs throughout the City of Philadelphia and preparing our students to succeed in a globalized twenty-first century economy. ..Body WHEREAS, Participating in after school programs improves students' attendance rates and academic achievements; and WHEREAS, Students participating in North Carolina's Young Scholars Program saw a 38% higher rate of promotion to the next grade and received the grade of "F" 50% less than non-participants; and WHEREAS, Truancy and dropout rates among students who regularly engage in after school programs are significantly lower than those of their peers who do not participate; and WHEREAS, Elementary school students in Los Angeles participating in a city-wide after school program called "LA's Best" were 20% less likely to drop out of high school than their unsupervised peers; and WHEREAS, After school programs keep students safe and supervised during high-risk after school hours and reduce the likelihood of juvenile delinquency; and WHEREAS, According to a study by the YMCA, teens who do not participate in after school programs are three times more likely to use drugs than their peers; and WHEREAS, After school programs help working parents work more hours and better provide for their families; and WHEREAS, Worrying about their children's safety during after school hours can cause parents to miss an average of eight forty-hour work days a year; and WHEREAS, Philadelphia's children need to excel in math, science, and foreign languages in order to succeed in our twenty-first century economy; and WHEREAS, In communities throughout the city too many students are failing to meet statewide education standards; and WHEREAS, American children are struggling overall to perform as well as students from other highly developed nations in math, science, and foreign languages; and WHEREAS, Bold actions need to be taken to ensure our students are safe in the after school hours and prepared to work in a twenty-first century economy; now, therefore be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the City Council Committee on Education is authorized to hold hearings to investigate the status of after school programs throughout the city of Philadelphia and to make recommendations on making the School District of Philadelphia more globally competitive. ..End