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 Freire Charter School Wilmington o Red Clay o Milton ES o A.I. du Pont HS o Great Oaks Charter School o A.I. du Pont MS o Capital o Highlands ES o Booker T Washington ES o Indian River o Richey ES o Central MS o Phillip C. Showell ES o Shortlidge Academy o Dover HS o East Dover ES o Kuumba Academy Charter School o Seaford o William Henry MS o Blades ES o Lake Forest o Frederick Douglass ES o Charter School of New Castle o Lake Forest South ES o Seaford Central ES o Seaford MS o Christina o Laurel o West Seaford ES o The Bancroft School o North Laurel Learning Academy o Castle Hills ES o Laurel ES o Woodbridge o Eisenberg ES o Laurel MS o Phillis Wheatley ES o Glasgow HS o Woodbridge MS o Stubbs Early Education and o Milford Dual Generation Center o Milford Central Academy o Milford HS o Thomas Edison Charter School
2020 - 2021 Delaware 21st CCLC Programs2020 - 2021 Delaware 21st CCLC Calendar
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.
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 18 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
Education Associate, 21st CCLC and Title I ProgramsDelaware Department of Education35 Commerce Way, Suite 1Dover, DE 19904Telephone: (302) 735-410021st 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