State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HR0326

 
                                              LRB9208832RHrhC

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, There are 149,760 Illinois youth,  ranging  from
 3    16 to 21 years of age, who are high school dropouts according
 4    to  a  recent study by the Center for Labor Market Studies at
 5    Northeastern University; and

 6        WHEREAS, This study outlines that  in  Illinois,  of  the
 7    149,760 youth who are high school dropouts, 74,500 are White,
 8    43,000  are  Hispanic, 29,500 are Black, and 2,760 are listed
 9    as other; and

10        WHEREAS, In the Chicago area  there  are  100,626  youth,
11    ranging  between 16 and 21 years of age, who have dropped out
12    of school; of this population, 41,726  are  Hispanic,  33,408
13    are  White,  23,266 are Black, and 2,226 are listed as other;
14    and

15        WHEREAS, In Chicago  there  are  49,437  youth  who  have
16    dropped out of school, ranging from 16 to 21 years of age, of
17    this  population 26,381 are Hispanic, 17,375 are Black, 4,715
18    are White, and 966 are listed as other; and

19        WHEREAS, The vast majority of Chicago area and  downstate
20    Illinois  high  school dropouts come from lower income areas;
21    and

22        WHEREAS, Illinois employers are experiencing shortages of
23    skilled workers and high school dropouts that  could  provide
24    the  needed  addition  to the workforce needs of the Illinois
25    economy and Illinois business; and

26        WHEREAS, Eighty percent of prison inmates are high school
27    dropouts and as such high school dropouts can pose a  problem
28    in  terms of crime and public safety to the general public in
29    their communities and neighborhoods; and

30        WHEREAS, High school dropouts  earn  $342,000  less  over
 
                            -2-               LRB9208832RHrhC
 1    their  lifetime  than  people who have a high school diploma;
 2    and

 3        WHEREAS, The benefit to Illinois  taxpayers  is  $312,000
 4    over  the  life  time of a high school dropout who returns to
 5    school and completes  a  high  school  diploma  in  terms  of
 6    increased  earnings as well as reduced social costs including
 7    prison, welfare, mental health, etc.; and

 8        WHEREAS, There is  a  significant  research  and  program
 9    experience  to  draw  on  and  utilize  to develop successful
10    programs to re-enroll, teach, and graduate dropouts from high
11    schools; and

12        WHEREAS, A Statewide Legislative  Task Force would  be  a
13    way  to  examine  and  develop  ways to address this issue of
14    youth who have dropped out of school; and

15        WHEREAS, The purpose of this Statewide  Legislative  Task
16    Force  would  be  to  examine  policies,  programs, and other
17    issues  related  to  developing  a  variety   of   successful
18    approaches  utilizing  best  program  practices to re-enroll,
19    teach, and graduate high school dropouts; therefore, be it

20        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
21    NINETY-SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
22    a  ten  member  legislative  task  force,  composed  of  five
23    Democrat  members  appointed  by  the Speaker of the House of
24    Representatives and five Republican members appointed by  the
25    Minority  Leader  of  the  House  of Representatives, examine
26    policies, programs, and other issues related to developing  a
27    variety  of  successful  approaches  to re-enroll, teach, and
28    graduate  high  school  dropouts  and  in  doing  so  improve
29    community safety and the Illinois economy; and be it further

30        RESOLVED, The Statewide Legislative Task Force shall have
31    duties that include conducting a series  of  public  hearings
 
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 1    throughout  the  State  to  discuss the impact of high school
 2    dropouts on various regions of the State, completing a review
 3    of dropout data that allows  for  a  comparison  of  Illinois
 4    rates  both  nationally  and with other states in the region,
 5    and producing a final report with recommendations on  how  to
 6    address the challenge of students dropping out of school; and
 7    be it further

 8        RESOLVED,  The  Task  Force  shall report its findings no
 9    later than January 10, 2002; and be it further

10        RESOLVED, Upon presenting  its  final  report,  the  Task
11    Force shall be dissolved.

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