21st Century Community
Learning Center
The 21st
Century Community Learning Center (CCLC)
Program is a key component of the President's
No Child Left Behind Act. It is an opportunity
for students and their families to continue
to learn new skills and discover new abilities
after the school day has ended. Congress
had appropriated $993.5 million for after-school
programs in Fiscal Year 2003.
The focus of this program, reauthorized
under Title IV, Part B, of the No Child Left
Behind Act, is to provide expanded academic
enrichment opportunities for children attending
low-performing schools. Tutorial services
and academic enrichment activities help students
meet local and state academic standards in
subjects such as reading and math. In addition,
21st CCLC programs provide youth development
activities; drug and violence prevention
programs; technology education programs;
art, music, and recreation programs; counseling;
and character education to enhance the academic
component of the program.
About 6,800 rural and inner city public
schools in 1,420 communities—in collaboration
with other public and nonprofit agencies,
organizations, local businesses, post-secondary
institutions, scientific and cultural and
other community entities—are now participating
as 21st Century CLCs.
NIFA partners with the Department of Education
to provide university faculty and staff to
review proposals, educational exhibits at
national and regional conferences, and training
for grantees. In many states and counties,
Cooperative Extension Service (CES) staff
partners with local educational associations
to prepare grant applications and administer
entire after-school programs or part of the
program. State and local CES staffs work
with the formal school systems to align after-school
program goals and outcomes with those of
the formal educational system.
Back to Child Care & After-School Programs Home Page |
