WHEREAS, insuring access to high-quality after-school and out-of-school programming for school-aged youth and their families continues to be a critical priority at the local, state and national levels; and

WHEREAS, after-school programming reinforces a positive attitude towards education and staying in school, enhances the physical, social, emotional and moral development of youth, and provides support for working families; and

WHEREAS, affordable, accessible and high-quality afterschool and out-of-school programming is an essential need for most American families; and

WHEREAS, the risk of youth becoming victims of or participating in a violent crime triples in the hours following the school day; and

WHEREAS, youth who are unsupervised are at greater risk of truancy, pregnancy, abusing alcohol, drugs, and tobacco, receiving poor grades, and experiencing mental depression; and

WHEREAS, children who attend high-quality after-school and out-of-school programs experience greater academic success, develop stronger peer relations, have better emotional adjustment and conflict resolution skills, and have better conduct in school compared to peers not in after school programs,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors urges the federal government, along with state and local governments, to increase investment in community-based after-school and out-of-school programs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors urges the federal government to re-establish a summer jobs program for the nation’s economicallydisadvantaged youth, to initially fund this program at an amount no less than was appropriated for the previous summer youth jobs program in its final year of operation, and to utilize the same needs-based funding formula to allocate these funds nationally.