Rural Afterschool Summit

California Rural After School Summit
Rural after school programs serve a high percentage of youth in need. The nature of rural environments present unique challenges for rural after school programs. Despite the challenges, rural programs boast tremendous success. On January 26, 2010, the California Afterschool Network hosted the California Rural After School Summit in partnership with the Region 2 Learning Supports division. The Summit was attended at capacity with, Rural Legislators, after school practitioners from rural regions of the state spanning from the northern to southern borders, and representatives from the California Department of Education. Speakers for the Summit included rural superintendents, practitioners, and students, as well as State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. The Summit highlighted the successes and challenges of rural after school programs, demonstrated the need for sustaining rural programs, and provided opportunity for participants to make recommendations to strengthen rural programs. These recommendations will be released in a report later this month. Senator Ashburn's office utilized the Rural Summit to introduce SB 898, a bill that would offer rural programs a minimum grant allotment.

A report outlining recommendations has been released
Recommendations outlined in the report will be taken forward by the California Afterschoool Network Rural Programs Committee. To View the Rural Report click here

View the Afterschool Alliance report: Current Challenges and Opportunities in Preparing Rural High School Students for Success in College and Careers by clicking the link below.
http://www.all4ed.org/files/RuralHSReportChallengesOpps.pdf

To join the California Afterschool Network Rural Programs Committee
go to http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/rural_comm

Federal legislation proposes to enhance after school in rural areas
Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) introduced the Investment in Afterschool Programs Act (S. 1281). This bill to enhance after school programs in rural areas of the United States by establishing a pilot program to help communities establish and improve rural after school programs. The bill proposes to make grants to rural after school programs for transportation, professional development, strategic planning, and other activities. This bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Education, Labor, and Pensions in June of 2009.

To read the text and status of this bill, click here.

To locate your State or Federal legislators and offer comment on either of these bills, click here.

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