HB3081sam001 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sen. Celina Villanueva

Filed: 5/21/2025

10400HB3081sam001 LRB104 10878 LNS 26517 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 3081

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 3081 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 22-105 as follows:

(105 ILCS 5/22-105 new)

Sec. 22-105. Out-of-school time programs.

(a) The General Assembly declares that it is the policy of this State to provide all young people between the ages of 6 and 19 with access to quality out-of-school time programs through a State commitment to sufficient and sustainable funding for programs that promote positive youth development. Further, this State is a national leader in the community schools model, which helps strengthen out-of-school time programs through school and community partnerships in order to meet the whole needs of all children and youth. The need for this policy is based on the following legislative findings:

(1) The General Assembly finds that youth who are engaged in quality out-of-school time programs and community schools are more likely to succeed in academics, employment, and civic affairs than youth who do not participate in those programs. Youth with high levels of participation in quality out-of-school time programs miss fewer days of school, have lower drop-out rates, and higher rates of graduation. Further, juvenile crime peaks in the after-school hours and out-of-school time programs help prevent crime victimization and help youth make healthy choices.

(2) The General Assembly also finds that youth in this State face greater barriers to accessing out-of-school time programs than ever before:

(A) Demand for out-of-school time programs far outpaces the supply of those programs.

(B) Funding is fragmented among State agencies.

(C) The path to accessing public funding is often difficult.

(D) Funding inconsistencies make it difficult for out-of-school time programs to maintain a qualified workforce.

(3) The General Assembly also finds that the State, having demonstrated national leadership in advancing youth development, must also expand out-of-school time programming in order to realize the full, continued benefits of public investment in this State's young people.

(b) As used in this Section:

"Community school" means a public school that works with the community to improve student outcomes and addresses the needs of the whole child; that is unique and responsive to its community; and that includes integrated student support, expanded learning opportunities, family engagement, and collaborative leadership.

"Out-of-school time programs" means positive youth development activities provided to youth between the ages of 6 and 19 during the hours before or after school, during the school year and summer recess from school, or during the weekends, including, but not limited to, programs that provide any one or more of the following: academic support; arts, music, sports, cultural enrichment, and other recreation; health promotion and diseases prevention; life skills and work and career development; and youth leadership development.

(c) The State Board of Education shall establish an Out-of-School Time Advisory Council for the purpose of providing information and advice to the Governor and State agencies regarding State and federal policy and funding issues affecting out-of-school time programs based on regular and systematic input from providers.

(1) The Out-of-School Time Advisory Council shall include representation from both public and private organizations and shall be composed of all of the following members:

(A) Four members of the General Assembly: one appointed by the President of the Senate; one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; one appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

(B) One representative of the State Board of Education, appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.

(C) One representative of the Department of Human Services, appointed by the Secretary of Human Services.

(D) One representative of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority, appointed by the Executive Director of the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.

(E) One representative of the Department of Early Childhood, appointed by the Secretary of Early Childhood.

(F) Three providers of out-of-school time programs who are from various settings, appointed by the Governor.

(G) One representative of a community-school lead-partner agency, appointed by Governor.

(H) A private philanthropic funder, appointed by Governor.

(I) A principal of a school that has out-of-school time programs or employs the community-schools model, appointed by Governor.

(J) A superintendent of a school district that has out-of-school time programs or employs the community-schools model, appointed by Governor.

(K) A researcher or evaluator of out-of-school time programs, appointed by Governor.

(L) Additional public members that have an interest in out-of-school time programs, including law enforcement, business, and youth advocacy, appointed by Governor.

The Out-of-School Time Advisory Council membership shall be representative of the diversity of out-of-school time programs regarding geography, size, and public or nonpublic operation.

(2) The Governor shall designate one of the Out-of-School Time Advisory Council members who is a nongovernment stakeholder to serve as co-chairperson and shall designate the representative of the State Board of Education to serve as the other co-chairperson.

(3) The Out-of-School Time Advisory Council shall meet no less than 4 times each year.

(d) The Out-of-School Time Advisory Council shall do all of the following:

(1) provide information on the status of any funding provided for out-of-school time programs in each fiscal year, including the number of applications received, the number of applications funded, and the amount and timing of committed funding;

(2) provide recommendations on any legislative or administrative action needed to ensure that funding for before-school and after-school programs is allocated promptly to qualified providers of out-of-school time programs;

(3) provide information on the quality of services and accountability measures that are appropriate for school-age children and youth;

(4) provide information regarding any challenges faced by out-of-school time programs that impede the provision of the best possible services;

(5) provide recommendations on the equitable reach of out-of-school time programs to ensure that the State has policies in place that promote access to the children and youth most in need of services, including, but not limited to, students of color, low-income communities, rural communities, and other marginalized communities;

(6) make recommendations to the Governor and State agencies on reporting requirements, priority points, a statewide evaluation, and licensure for out-of-school time programs; and

(7) create and deliver to the Governor and General Assembly an annual report on statewide successes in out-of-school time programs and areas of growth for the future.".