I believe every Vermont community and family should have access to an Expanded Learning Opportunity program and H.391 is a great step toward that goal.
One of the most critical issues facing Vermont today is the persistent proficiency gap between low-income students and their higher income peers. What happens during the formal school day and in the regular classroom is not the source of this gap. Where low-income students lose ground is outside the school day and over the summer when they do not have access to the same types of learning experiences and enrichment opportunities as their more affluent peers.
I hope Vermont legislatures will support H.391. Please visit www.vermontafterschool.org for more information.
Mandy Chesley-Park
Bristol