A bill that would create more afterschool programs across Delaware will be in front of lawmakers when they reconvene next week.
House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst (D-Bear) unveiled legislation Wednesday at Gunning Bedford Middle School in New Castle that seeks to create in-school, afterschool opportunities in high-need schools statewide. Longhurst is also asking for $10 million to fund them.
The Statewide Afterschool Initiative Learning (SAIL) program would hand that money out in the form of grants to Title I schools that offer at least 3 hours of afterschool programming 4 to 5 days a week to student between kindergarten and 10th grade.
Delaware Attorney General Matt Denn is among those supporting the measure.
“We have afterschool programs in the state. We have some really good ones. But I think the ideal situation is for students to be able to participate in these programs in the same building where they go to school – where there’s not transportation issues, where we’re not losing the value of these great building by having them empty part of the day,” said Denn.
The SAIL program also sets requirements for what the funded programs look like. Longhurst says they’ll need to offer one hour of homework assistance, one hour of enrichment activities and a healthy meal each day, while maintaining a 10-to-1 student-teacher ratio.
“This enables us to use the resources we have in our state – which are our facilities and our teachers – to really develop a good afterschool program,” Longhurst said.
Longhurst says right now only 19 percent of students in the state are in afterschool programs. She would like to get that number to 46 percent with her plan so that more kids would not be on their own between 3 pm and 6 pm.
“That’s where you see a peak in crime and kids getting in trouble - and becoming victims of crime – between 3-6," said Longhurst. "Plus, when you have it here, they’re going to stay here. And they’re going to enjoy it. They feel safe here. Their parents feel safe that they’re kids are here and they don’t have worry about them getting off the bus."
Longhurst says new programs could be up and running next January, if the bill passes and is funded in the state budget this June.
