Delaware Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers
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Afterschool programs provide children and youth with safe, engaging places to try new activities, develop new skills, have fun, and learn.
21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLCs) are federally funded, high quality afterschool and summer programs. They provide students with academic support, enrichment, and school engagement. They complement students' regular academic program.
Federal funds support the development of high quality afterschool and summer programs through a competitive process that prioritizes high poverty areas. All 21st CCLCs must show a partnership between the target school(s) and at least one community- or faith-based organization.
Delaware 21st CCLCs currently support afterschool and summer programs in over 30 elementary, middle, and high schools, serving approximately 3,000 students each year. The funded programs operate afterschool programs and summer programs.
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Delaware 21st Century Community Learning Centers Goals
- Increase school attendance and increase academic achievement of participating students in one or more academic areas
- Increase school connectedness of participants, including families, caregivers, and school teachers and staff
- Increase the capacity of participants to become productive adults
Program Information
21st CCLC programs provide a broad array of opportunities for students and their families, including such things as:
- Academic Supports: hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math, homework help, literacy activities, SAT preparation, tutoring, and more;
- Career Exploration and College Access: college application support, college visits, internships, job shadowing, and more
- Fine Arts: dance, music, theatre, visual arts, and more;
- Health Promotion: counseling and mental health programs, healthy cooking, nutrition education, substance abuse prevention, and more;
- Physical Activity: baseball, basketball, martial arts, soccer, swimming, yoga, and more;
- Youth Development: community service, good decision-making, leadership development, mediation skills, social and emotional learning, violence prevention, and more; and
- Family Engagement: adult education, family events, family literacy, and more.
Schools with 21st CCLCs
o Cape Henlopen o Great Oaks Charter School o Red Clay o Milton ES o A.I. du Pont HS o Indian River o A.I. du Pont MS o Capital o East Millsboro ES o Highlands ES o Booker T Washington ES o Georgetown ES o Richey ES o East Dover ES o John M Clayton ES o Shortlidge Academy o William Henry MS o North Georgetown ES o Selbyville MS o Seaford o Charter School of New Castle o Blades ES o Kuumba Academy CS o Frederick Douglass ES o Christina o Seaford Central ES o Stubbs Early Education o Laurel o Seaford MS and Dual Generation Ctr o North Laurel Learning o West Seaford ES o The Bancroft School Academy o Glasgow HS o Laurel ES o Woodbridge o Laurel MS o Phillis Wheatley ES o Colonial o Woodbridge MS o Castle Hills ES o Milford o Eisenberg ES o Milford Central Academy o Milford HS o Freire Charter School 2022 - 2023 Delaware 21st CCLC Programs
DE 21st CCLC 2022-2023 Calendar Cohorts 16 17
DE 21st CCLC 2022-2023 Calendar Cohort 18 20
Delaware 21st CCLC List of Prescreened External Organizations
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) requires state education agencies to provide a list of prescreened external organizationsthat have knowledge and expertise necessary to assist with implementing activities of 21st CCLC programs. An "external organization" is defined as “a nonprofit organization with a record of success in running or working with before or after school (or summer recess) programs and activities.” DDOE will maintain the Delaware 21st CCLC List of Prescreened External Organizations for those organizations that meet the criteria and have completed the Delaware 21st CCLC Nonprofit External Organization Profile Form. Please note: The “Delaware 21st CCLC List of Prescreened External Organizations” will be posted for informational purposes only for any 21st CCLC grant applicant to view and utilize at their own discretion. 21st CCLCs are not required to partner specifically with any external organizations that are on the “Delaware 21st CCLC List of Prescreened External Organizations.”
Federal Statutes and Guidance
The 21st Century Community Learning Center initiative was established by Title IV, Part B - Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended. See also the 21st CCLC Non-Regulatory Guidance. Additional federal guidance is available on various topics including:
- Fiscal and administrative issues for 21st CCLC are covered under the US Department of Education Department Uniform Grant Guidance.
- Guidance on High School Credit for Afterschool Activities
- At the national level, accountability for the 21st Century Community Learning Center nationally is based on Federal Grant Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Measures. All grantees use data collection systems to track such things as attendance, grades, homework completion, classroom behavior, state assessment scores, etc. and submit data on an annual basis to the federal 21APR reporting system.
- Measures of Effectiveness
Evaluation
A commitment to evaluation at both the state and local levels is central to the Delaware's 21st Century Community Learning Center initiative. Please see the full evaluation report for more information.
Request for Proposal - Cohort 21 Information
Delaware Afterschool Network
Delaware’s 21st CCLC program collaborates and partners with the Delaware Afterschool Network (DEAN), part of the 50 State Afterschool Network. For more information, contact Regina Sidney-Brown, DEAN Director; c/o United Way of Delaware; 625 N. Orange St, 3rd Floor, Wilmington, DE 19801; 302-573-3743; regina@deasn.org
Resources for Current 21st CCLC Programs
21st CCLC State Coordinator
Ruth A. Uhey , Ed.D.
Education Associate, Out-of-School Time Programs and Students Experiencing Homelessness
School Support Services
Delaware Department of Education
Collette Education Resource Center
35 Commerce Way, Suite 1
Dover, DE 19904
302.857.3349 (T) 302.739.1769 (F)21st CCLC Technical Assistance Coordinator
Center for Disabilities StudiesUniversity of Delaware461 Wyoming RdNewark, DE 19716Telephone: (302) 831-205321st CCLC Support
Secretary, School Support ServiceDelaware Department of Education35 Commerce Way, Suite 1Dover, DE 19904Telephone: (302) 857-3374