Governor Launches 'Oregon After School for Kids'

New program enhances state-local efforts to improve after-school activities.

Governor Kulongoski visiting a Salem classroom Photo By: Tim King

(PORTLAND) - Addressing a summit on helping school children succeed through better cooperation with communities, Governor Ted Kulongoski announced the launch of `Oregon After School for Kids" or - `OregonASK" - a statewide network that will help provide after-school opportunities for thousands of kids.

`This is a statewide effort," the Governor said. `Every child, school and community has much to gain from it. The network will build bridges between leaders of schools, communities, businesses and families."

An Oregon juvenile crime prevention grant funded planning of OregonASK, the Governor said, while actual funding to operate the network came from the Mott Foundation and resources supplied by the Oregon State Child Care Division.

Upgrading after-school time and out-of-school time is a high priority for the state, the Governor said. `The best way I know to achieve this goal is to link our schools with families and businesses."

The Governor praised efforts under way in communities throughout Oregon to improve education through `community schools," a term that includes after-school programs and out-of-school programs with cooperation from local governments, businesses, state agencies and individuals.

Among these are Medford`s Kids Unlimited program, McMinnville`s After-School Program, and Portland`s Schools Uniting Neighborhoods - or `SUN" schools.

The Ford Family Foundation also helps fund 16 Rural Community Schools Programs that operate around the state, the Governor said.

`I`m proud to say the State of Oregon has been a partner in many of the existing programs. But we can do more. That`s why I`ve made expanding the community school model a key strategy toward helping families and students succeed," the Governor said.

The Oregon Department of Education, the Commission on Children and Families, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Community Colleges and Workforce Development, and the Child Care Division have all begun to work together to create a statewide approach to supporting community schools, the Governor said.

The effort involves developing guiding principles, providing incentives and pooling money to pay for community school activities.

The overall goal, the Governor explained, is to enhance academic performance, close the achievement gap, reduce high-risk behavior among kids, and engage students, families and communities as contributors to the academic and social well-being of Oregon`s youth.