Gov. Blagojevich announces $21 million in federal funding to enhance
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Illinois Steps AHEAD grants to provide academic boost
[JUNE 1, 2006]
CHICAGO -- Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich announced
Tuesday that Illinois was awarded $21 million in federal funding to
improve school performance among students in poor and academically
at-risk communities. The Illinois Steps AHEAD grants will provide
$3.5 million each year for six years for after-school tutoring,
career counseling and other activities that help make high school
graduation and higher education a reality for at-risk students. The
acronym in the grant name represents "attaining higher education
through academic development."
"Education is the best way to make sure children who grow up in
poverty have a shot at a better future," Blagojevich said. "These
grants will help ensure that learning doesn't stop when the school
day ends and that at-risk students and their parents can get
guidance when it comes to preparing for and choosing a path after
high school."
The Illinois Department of Human Services selected 21
community-based agencies for the project, including the
Team
Illinois communities of East Aurora, Pembroke Township,
Alexander County and Venice. Each agency will serve as many as 100
students in grades 7-12 annually. Agencies will be working with
students who are already part of a
21st Century Community
Learning Center or the
Teen
REACH program, emphasizing "responsibility, education,
achievement, caring and hope."
Illinois Steps AHEAD services include tutoring, college visits,
ACT and SAT preparation, career exploration, job shadowing, cultural
field trips, and parent involvement activities.
The program's initial focus is on academic achievement -- helping
students get good grades in math, science and reading -- along with
some career exploration activities. In later grades, the program
broadens to place more emphasis on career exploration and
preparation for postsecondary education, whether college or trade
school, and assists parents with the process of enrolling their son
or daughter in a postsecondary program.
The funding will also provide scholarships for students who
qualify based on their sustained academic achievement. A total of
$11.4million will be put in a trust fund during the next six
years -- $1.9 million each year -- for scholarships for students in
the program.
"The agency partners will assist students through tutoring,
career exploration, academic enrichment and summer programs," said
Department of Human Services Secretary Carol L. Adams, Ph.D. "Not
only will they improve the students' chances of completing high
school, they will also help them with postsecondary education
opportunities."
Adams said parents would be counseled on the responsibilities of
putting a child through college. Students in the program will also
be the first to go to college from their families.
The Department of Human Services has established a state-level
advisory board with representation from the Illinois State Board of
Education, Illinois Community College Board, Illinois Promise --
University of Illinois, Illinois P-16 Collaborative, Illinois
Student Assistance Commission, Association of Illinois Middle Level
Schools, Illinois After-School Partnership and Illinois Board of
Higher Education.
The advisory board will help develop policy for the initiative,
including policies related to scholarship assistance. The advisory
board will help local project sites establish relationships with
community colleges, four-year colleges and universities and will
advise the Department of Human Services on all other aspects of
operating Illinois Steps AHEAD. The Center for Prevention Research
and Development at the University of Illinois will conduct an
evaluation of the project.
The funding is part of the
GEAR UP
grant from the U.S. Department of Education. That grant name is an
acronym for "gaining early awareness and readiness for undergraduate
programs."
The Illinois Steps AHEAD program is being implemented in
connection with Teen REACH and the Illinois State Board of
Education's 21st Century Learning Center program. The Department of
Human Services also provides $19 million in funds for the Teen REACH
after-school program.
Following is a list of the 21 sites participating in the Illinois
Steps AHEAD program. Each grantee receives $47,600.
Chicago
Albany Park Community
Center
Alternatives Inc.
BUILD
Chicago Youth Centers
Christopher House
CIESS -- Coalition
for Improved Education in South Shore
FORUM
Introspect Youth
Noble Street Charter
High School
Trinity Higher
Education Corporation
United Neighborhood
Organization
Collar counties
Northern Illinois
Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse, Lake County
Aurora Family Focus,
East Aurora
Grundy-Kendall
Regional Office of Education
Thornton Township
High School District 205
Lorenzo Smith
Elementary School, Pembroke Township
Downstate
Delta Center Inc.,
Cairo
Homework Hangout
Club, Decatur
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Foundation, East St. Louis
Martin Luther King
Community Services of Freeport, Freeport
Springfield Urban
League Inc., Springfield
The Step AHEAD grants will build on significant improvements to
Illinois' education system enacted by Blagojevich and are designed
to prepare students for success.
Since 2003, state spending for schools has increased six times
faster than during previous administrations, with $3.8 billion more
being directed to education. Preschool funding increased by 75
percent, and legislation passed this year makes Illinois the only
state to create a program that will make preschool available to
every 3- and 4-year-old child in the state. High school graduation
requirements were raised for the first time in over two decades, the
dropout age was raised to 17, and the dropout rate fell to its
lowest level ever, at 4 percent. The governor recently proposed a
new, comprehensive education plan that would provide $6 billion more
for education over the next four years and allow the state to
dramatically expand successful initiatives like after-school
programs, preschool and special education.
