FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21st Century Community Learning Centers Grants Awarded;
Grants Will Help Support Students in High-Poverty Schools
State Education Commissioner John B. King, Jr. today announced that 125 grants totaling approximately $78.1 million in annual funding have been awarded under the federally funded 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program. The purpose of the grants is to create or expand community learning centers that provide academic enrichment and youth development opportunities for students who attend schools that serve a high percentage of low-income families.
"Our goal is to make sure that all students graduate with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and careers," King said. ”The 21st Century grants provide opportunities for academic enrichment and tutoring services for students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools and their families are eligible for literacy and educational services. The grants are another tool to help build college and career readiness."
The 125 award recipients were selected from more than 450 proposals through an extensive peer review process, with priority given to programs that serve students in Priority or Focus schools. The grants can be made yearly for up to three years, for the period of July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2016, subject to availability of funds from the United States Department of Education and contingent on satisfactory annual performance of the grantee. The award recipients are posted here:.
21st CCLC grant awards are focused on creating or expanding community learning centers that:
- provide opportunities for academic enrichment (including tutoring services) to help students, particularly students who attend low-performing schools, to meet State and local student academic achievement standards in core academic subjects such as reading and mathematics;
- 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, and recreation programs, technology education programs, and character education programs; and
- offer families of students opportunities for literacy and related educational development.
All programs must be implemented through a partnership that includes at least one school and at least one community organization with demonstrated records of success in designing and implementing before school, after school, summer learning, or expanded learning time activities.
All applicant programs were required to serve students who attend schools eligible for school-wide programs under Title I or schools with at least 40 percent of its students eligible for free or reduced priced lunch (In New York City, 40 percent of a school’s students must be eligible for free lunch). Any public or private organization that met the eligibility requirements could apply, including public school districts, BOCES, charter schools, private schools, nonprofit agencies, city or county government agencies, faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and for-profit corporations.
Award winners can offer multiple program options including before school, after school, weekend, holiday or summer recess programs. Under New York State’s recently approved Elementary and Secondary Education Act flexibility waiver, annual program funds may also be used to expand learning time within the school day. Expanded learning time includes the time that a school extends its normal school day, week, or year to provide additional instruction or educational programs for all students beyond the State-mandated requirements as well as enhanced planning and learning time for teachers and leaders in schools.
The 21st CCLC Program is authorized under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, Title IV Part B.
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