STATE OF ILLINOIS
HOUSE JOURNAL
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
57TH LEGISLATIVE DAY
Perfunctory Session
MONDAY, MAY 14, 2001
4:00 O'CLOCK P.M.
NO. 57
[May 14, 2001] 2 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Daily Journal Index 57th Legislative Day Action Page(s) Adjournment........................................ 4 Bill Number Legislative Action Page(s) HR 0297 Resolution......................................... 3
3 [May 14, 2001] The House met pursuant to adjournment. Anthony D. Rossi, Clerk of the House in the Chair. Prayer by Anthony D. Rossi, Clerk of the House. Gloria J. Helms led the House in the Pledge of Allegiance. RESOLUTION The following resolution was offered and placed in the Committee on Rules. HOUSE RESOLUTION 297 Offered by Representative Giles: WHEREAS, There are 149,760 Illinois youth, ranging from 16 to 21 years of age, who are high school dropouts according to a recent study by the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University; and WHEREAS, This study outlines that in Illinois, of the 149,760 youth who are high school dropouts, 74,500 are White, 43,000 are Hispanic, 29,500 are Black, and 2,760 are listed as other; and WHEREAS, In the Chicago area there are 100,626 youth, ranging between 16 and 21 years of age, who have dropped out of school; of this population, 41,726 are Hispanic, 33,408 are White, 23,266 are Black, and 2,226 are listed as other; and WHEREAS, In Chicago there are 49,437 youth who have dropped out of school, ranging from 16 to 21 years of age, of this population 26,381 are Hispanic, 17,375 are Black, 4,715 are White, and 966 are listed as other; and WHEREAS, The vast majority of Chicago area and downstate Illinois high school dropouts come from lower income areas; and WHEREAS, Illinois employers are experiencing shortages of skilled workers, and high school dropouts could provide the needed addition to the workforce needs of the Illinois economy and Illinois business; and WHEREAS, Eighty percent of prison inmates are high school dropouts and as such high school dropouts can pose a problem in terms of crime and public safety to the general public in their communities and neighborhoods; and WHEREAS, High school dropouts earn $342,000 less over their lifetime than people who have a high school diploma; and WHEREAS, The benefit to Illinois taxpayers is $312,000 over the lifetime of a high school dropout who returns to school and completes a high school diploma in terms of increased earnings as well as reduced social costs including prison, welfare, mental health, etc.; and WHEREAS, There is significant research and program experience to draw on and utilize to develop successful programs to re-enroll, teach, and graduate dropouts from high schools; and WHEREAS, A Statewide Legislative Task Force would be a way to examine and develop ways to address this issue of youth who have dropped out of school; and WHEREAS, The purpose of this Statewide Legislative Task Force would be to examine policies, programs, and other issues related to developing a variety of successful approaches utilizing best program practices to re-enroll, teach, and graduate high school dropouts; therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that a nine member legislative task force be appointed to examine policies, programs, and other issues related to developing a variety of successful approaches to re-enroll, teach, and graduate high school dropouts and in doing so improve community safety and the Illinois economy; the members of the task force shall be appointed as follows: 5 members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and 4 members appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives; and be it further RESOLVED, The Statewide Legislative Task Force shall have duties that include conducting a series of public hearings throughout the State to discuss the impact of high school dropouts on various regions
[May 14, 2001] 4 of the State, completing a review of dropout data that allows for a comparison of Illinois rates both nationally and with other states in the region, and producing a final report with recommendations on how to address the challenge of students dropping out of school; and be it further RESOLVED, The Task Force shall report its findings no later than January 10, 2002; and be it further RESOLVED, Upon presenting its final report, the Task Force shall be dissolved. At the hour of 4:15 o'clock p.m., Representative Poe moved that the House do now adjourn until Tuesday, May 15, 2001, at 1:00 o'clock p.m. The motion prevailed. And the House stood adjourned.