21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY
LEARNING CENTERS

PURPOSE OF GRANT

The 21 st Century Community Learning Center Grant funds are to assist schools, local education agencies (LEAs), and faith-or community-based organizations to provide before school, afterschool, and summer services through the establishment of 21st Century Community Learning Center programs (21 st CCLCs).

PURPOSE OF PROGRAM

The purpose of the program is to establish 21 st CCLC programs that provide students with academic enrichment opportunities along with activities designed to complement the students’ regular academic program. 21 st CCLCs must also offer families of participating students educational development opportunities. Centers (which maybe located in schools, community and/or faith-based facilities) provide a range of high-quality services to support student learning and development. These services include but are not limited to tutoring and mentoring, homework assistance, academic enrichment (such as hands-on science or technology programs) community service opportunities, music, art, sports, and cultural activities. Centers also provide safe environments for students during non-school hours.

Authorized under Title IV, Part B, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, the specific purposes of the law are to:

(1) Provide opportunities for academic enrichment, including providing tutorial services to help students (particularly students in high-poverty areas and those who attend low-performing schools) meet State and local student performance standards in core academic subjects such as reading and mathematics,

(2) Offer students a broad array of additional services, programs and activities, such as youth development activities, drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, art, music, recreation programs, technology education programs and character education programs that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students, and

(3) Offer families of students served by 21st CCLCs opportunities for math, science and literacy related educational development.

GENERAL GRANT INFORMATION

Program Participants

The program participants must be students who have not met State proficiency standards, have scored at Levels I and II on the State Assessment, currently attend low-performing, high priority and Title I schools. Programs maybe offered for students attending grades K-12.

HIGHLIGHTS

2009 Safe School and Character Education Conference
The conference is designed for parents, teachers, school administrators, coaches, counselors, social workers, safe schools coordinators and personnel, school resource officers (SROs), juvenile officers, court counselors, law enforcement, school board members and others who are interested in and/or responsible for developing and maintaining a safe, orderly and caring learning environment in the schools and community.

Safe Schools and Character Education Conference Program
(pdf, 765kb)