"Afterschool programs are valuable tools that enhance a child's education, while lending a helping hand to working parents. 21st Century Community Learning Centers offer students help with their traditional studies and expose them to a broad range of artistic, cultural, and athletic activities," said Senators Boxer and Collins in a joint statement. "Current 21st CCLC programs are doing a great job, serving children in 1,420 communities across the country. But there are 15 million more children and their parents who are left without access to these important afterschool programs." The 21st CCLC Program is a key component of President Bush''s No Child Left Behind Act. The funding allows schools, particularly in rural and inner-city areas, to offer educational and recreational afterschool activities to their students. Tutorial services are designed to help students meet local and state academic standards in subjects such as reading and math. 21st CCLC programs also include youth development activities, drug and violence prevention programs, and technology education programs. About 6,800 rural and inner-city public schools in 1,420 communities nationwide are currently serving as 21st CCLCs, in collaboration with other public and non-profit agencies, local businesses, post-secondary institutions, and other community organizations. For information on 21st CCLC grants in your state, check the Department of Education web site at: http://www.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/awards.html. The text of the letter is the following: Dear Mr. President: We are writing to urge you to support enough funding in your fiscal year 2005 budget proposal for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers so the program can continue to grow and more children will have the option of high-quality, safe, afterschool learning activities. These programs are critical to children's success in school and in life, as well as their parents' ability to work. If funding is provided for these programs at the level promised in No Child Left Behind, a total of 2.8 million children would be served through these Centers. In October, the Afterschool Alliance released findings from its sixth Annual Voters Poll, which indicates that voters strongly support public investments in afterschool programs and candidates who are committed to these initiatives. Futhermore, voters favor aftershool programs that are more than just an extension of the school day - programs that offer hands-on learning opportunities, recreation, community service, and creative activities that inspire kids to learn and grow. In fiscal year 2003, afterschool programs served 1.4 million children. We believe that we can do even better for children and working parents. Today, more than 28 million children have parents who work outside of the home. As a result, nearly 15 million children have no place to go once the school day ends. Communities in our states are increasingly searching for additional afterschool programming to meet these needs. They rely on these programs to keep kids safe, help working families, and provide children with a much needed opportunity to learn and grow. Thank you for your consideration of this important matter. We hope you will join us in ensuring that every child has a genuine opportunity to succeed and that no child is left behind. The availability of quality afterschool programs moves us toward that goal.