With the very important 30th day (known as "crossover day") behind us, the Georgia Legislative session is past the three-quarter mark. Crossover day, held Tuesday, March 11th, was important because any bills that did not pass their chamber of origin by that day, are considered "dead."

The major recent news is fiscal. On March 10th, the Governor reduced his revenue estimate for FY08 and FY09 and provided recommendations for cuts to balance the budget. This means that the House and Senate, which were already at an impasse on the amended FY08 budget, will have to complete their budget negotiations with fewer dollars on the table.

GAIC is concerned about a specific issue in the Governor's proposed FY09 budget: afterschool and child care subsidies. The Governor's proposal eliminates a $29.7 million transfer of TANF funds to the child care assistance program (CAPS). CAPS subsidies are essential for low-income parents who need child care and afterschool care for their children while they work. Afterschool and child care subsidies also help ensure children and youth are not left home alone or with neighbors, friends or siblings unequipped to provide care, but instead are in a safe and appropriate environment during non-school hours.

The annual summer learning national conference, "Summer Changes Everything" is coming up April 17-18 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Hosted by the Center for Summer Learning at Johns Hopkins University, this annual conference offers fresh ideas for how to expand summer programming and keep kids engaged. It's an opportunity to connect with program providers, educators, youth workers, administrators, researchers, policymakers and other decision-makers who share a commitment to providing high-quality summer learning.

The Georgia Afterschool Investment Council (GAIC) is thrilled to inform you that we are designing and implementing Georgia's first Afterschool Institute based on the national Afterschool Academies model. It will be the first state model and we are excited to have the opportunity to pilot it in Georgia. As a result of a grant from the Georgia Department of Human Resources, GAIC has received funding to create a multi-day afterschool institute focused on project-based learning and community engagement strategies for the state.

The Afterschool Institute will be an intensive, multi-day institute that equips participants with skills, knowledge, and take-home- and-do techniques for effective afterschool education. Topics addressed include: understanding afterschool teaching, youth development principles, linking to research and school day content, project-based learning and active teaching, and planning for deliberate learning.

The Institute model fits well with the GA Afterschool Professional Development Team's vision for afterschool professional development in the state: for all workers who serve youth to have access to high-quality professional development that connects them to a network of fresh ideas and energy, as well as support to assist them in implementing engaging afterschool programs. We envision a Georgia Afterschool Institute as a way to achieve three main goals in Georgia: 1) to be a significant vehicle to bring about afterschool program improvement, 2) to transform afterschool staff into champions for youth 3) to create fresh ideas and energy that acknowledge multiple intelligence theories.