Ortíz Pushes for Council to Advise State on Funding, Policy Challenges Facing After School Programs

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Building on his progress providing more after school program opportunities to Illinois students, state Rep. Aarón Ortíz, D-Chicago, is advancing legislation to accurately and fully address the funding and policy challenges they face. 

“After school programs continue to be a source of community, opportunity and safety for the hundreds of thousands of students who depend on them; these face real, but solvable, challenges from the chaotic federal policy to large funding gaps,” Ortíz said. “Out of School Time programs have enormous benefits for children that have access to them, such as better performance in the classroom, access to mentors and more. Our state needs a comprehensive approach to improving access, capacity and quality of these programs, and this legislation will do just that.” 

Ortíz’s House Bill 3081 creates the Out of School Time (OST) Advisory Council to study, inform and create recommendations to address funding and policy challenges that prevent every child from 6 to 19 from having access to a quality after school program. 

The council will convene representatives from the Office of the Governor, state agencies, the House and Senate and community organizations. Specifically tasked with providing metrics on funding, policy recommendations and quality of services, the council will submit an annual report to highlight points of growth for OST programs. 

Ortíz has worked tirelessly to deliver quality resources for Southwest Side young people. Last year, he passed dual measures to expand FAFSA resources in every Illinois school (House Bill 3097) and require schools to train and designate a staff member as a FAFSA point of contact (House BIll 3096). These reforms have helped ensure students can get the student financial aid they deserve, despite their economic background.

“Organizations in my community have been calling for this council, because their first-hand experience shows a dire need for institutional and budgetary reforms,” Ortíz said. “I will be fighting daily to move this through the legislative process, and I look forward to working with advocates to create a final product that does right by the kids of our state.”