2010 Gubernatorial Candidates Address Afterschool Issues
| Question # 2 |
PSAYDN: The Afterschool Alliance poll found that 83 percent of Pennsylvania adults surveyed support public funding for afterschool programs. In addition, national research shows that children and youth who participate in afterschool programs demonstrate better student achievement levels, classroom behavior and engage in less risky behaviors that could have life-altering consequences. Do you support public funding for afterschool programs? |
Tom Corbett: Throughout my career in public service, I have maintained that public investments in early intervention and prevention will result in long-term savings on rehabilitation and corrections. Afterschool programs can empower students and families with more personalized educational options to help students excel and meet high expectations. However, budgetary constraints projected for the next few fiscal years will result in very limited availability of resources. The EITC should be protected as a tool to secure funding for afterschool programs. Increased investments from other entities such as nonprofits and private businesses will also be crucial to protect program sustainability.
Dan Onorato: Yes, and my Plan for Pre-K–12 Education specifically calls for using state resources such as the school funding formula based on the Legislature’s Costing-Out Report to fund programs that increase student engagement including after-school programs.
Jack Wagner: Yes. Please see my answer to the previous question. I would be especially interested in targeting any additional public funds to quality afterschool programs for high school students, which have not received as much public support as programs for younger children, as a means of addressing the high school drop-out rate.
