Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer’s after-school “21st Century Community Learning Centers” program was reauthorized for five years by the huge “Every Student Succeeds Act” education bill.
The legislation passed the Senate Wednesday, and will go to President Barack Obama’s desk for signature.
The authorization will allow congressional appropriations committees to provide after-school classes for one million children, said Boxer, the chair of the Senate Afterschool Caucus.
“This legislation preserves a dedicated funding stream for afterschool programs so that more than 1 million children will continue to have a safe, enriching place to go when the school day ends,” Boxer said in a press release.
“The bill also helps states support high-quality afterschool programs, encourages parental engagement and ensures that afterschool activities complement the academic curriculum.”
According to the release, Boxer wrote the first major federal spending bill for afterschool programs.
In April, the Senate committee that oversees education approved an amendment based on legislation which Boxer introduced with GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski.
The Republican chairman of the Senate education committee, Sen. Lamar Alexander, praised the huge ESSA bill as a model of bipartisanship and compromise.
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