Bill Overview
Title: Learn and Serve American Reinvestment Act
Description: This bill provides appropriations to the Corporation for National and Community Service for the Learn and Serve America program. The program supports service-learning programs, which integrate community service projects with classroom learning.
Sponsors: Rep. Kim, Andy [D-NJ-3]
Target Audience
Population: Individuals involved in or benefitting from service-learning programs
Estimated Size: 5000000
- The bill affects individuals involved in service-learning programs, which are designed to combine educational objectives with community service projects.
- Students enrolled in educational institutions that offer service-learning opportunities will be directly impacted as they participate in projects that integrate their academic education with community service.
- Teachers and educators will be involved as they are a crucial part of developing, guiding, and executing service-learning projects in educational settings.
- Communities benefitting from service projects implemented through these programs will also feel the impact, as they address local needs or issues through the projects.
- Parents of students involved may also indirectly experience the impact as these programs enhance their children's educational experiences.
- Administrators and policymakers in educational institutions might be affected as they integrate or expand these programs as part of their curriculum.
Reasoning
- The policy targets service-learning programs, which aim to enhance education through practical community-based projects. With a budget limitation, the impact must be distributed wisely among potentially a large number of students, educators, and communities. The policy's effect will also depend on the current presence of service-learning within given schools and communities, meaning some individuals may see no change, while others could experience moderate to high impacts.
- A budget of $20 million in year one suggests that impacts on individuals will likely vary based on their proximity to funded projects and the scale of their involvement. Larger urban or suburban schools with existing service-learning programs are likely to benefit more initially, while rural or underserved areas may require more effort and time to integrate or enhance such programs.
- Given the broad estimated reach of the program, 5 million Americans as a target population, participants can vary from students getting average improvements to their educational experiences, to teachers finding new opportunities for professional engagement, to communities experiencing tangible improvements through these projects.
Simulated Interviews
High School Student (New York, NY)
Age: 17 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm excited to see what projects we could do through this funding, as our school always struggled with resources for extracurricular activities.
- I think it would also be a plus for my college applications if I've had more service-learning experiences.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
High School Teacher (Des Moines, IA)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a teacher, I think service-learning is the perfect opportunity to make subjects more engaging for students.
- This funding could finally allow us to launch some ideas we've had for years.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 5 |
Community Organization Leader (Dallas, TX)
Age: 52 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- While we regularly engage with schools already, more structured programs can only deepen the impact of our community projects.
- With more resources, we can expand our capacity to host student projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
College Student (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 23 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These programs provide critical insights into how policy can practically improve communities and education simultaneously.
- I hope my university leverages this funding to develop new partnerships.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
School Administrator (Chicago, IL)
Age: 38 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- We are always on the lookout for funding opportunities to bolster our extracurricular and community service options.
- Integrating theory with practice for students is crucial, and this might help us finally achieve that.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Parent and Community Volunteer (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 29 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Programs like this could enrich my child's school experience, making it more practical and engaging.
- I hope it encourages more parents to get involved with school projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Non-profit Education Program Director (Austin, TX)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Receiving these funds might help us extend our reach to more schools in the community.
- Increased engagement could result in more measurable outcomes from our projects.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
High School Student (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 15 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 4.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These service-learning projects sound like a fun way to learn and help our community too.
- I've never had such opportunities at school, so I'm curious how they'll work out.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
College Professor (Seattle, WA)
Age: 28 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These funds might help structure more rigorous and impactful projects for my students.
- Such programs reinforce the importance of applied learning in higher education.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 7 |
Retired Educator (Boston, MA)
Age: 67 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm thrilled to see continued emphasis on programs that blend learning with real-world experience for students.
- The changes may be slow, but they're essential for meaningful educational development.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 2: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 3: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 5: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 10: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Year 100: $20000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $25000000)
Key Considerations
- Funding consistency is important to maintain program momentum and effectiveness.
- The scale of implementation, including the number of students and communities involved, will influence cost and program success.
- Synergies with existing educational policies and national service initiatives could amplify benefits.