​2024-29 Cohort 12

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) grant is a competitive grant that provides federal funding to establish community learning centers that provide academic, artistic, and cultural enrichment opportunities for students and their families. These opportunities must occur during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session to help students attending high-poverty and low-performing schools to meet state and local standards in core academic subjects. Centers must also offer students a broad array of activities that can complement their regular academic programs, to offer literacy and other educational services to their families.

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program is authorized under Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Act of 2015. Under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) section 4201 (b) a community learning center means an entity that:

• assists students to meet the challenging state academic standards by providing the students with academic enrichment activities and a broad array of other activities (such as programs and activities described in the Purpose of Funding) during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session (such as before and after school or during summer recess) that assist the students served; and
• reinforces and complements the regular academic programs of the schools attended by the students served; and
• is targeted to the students' academic needs and aligned with the instruction students receive during the school day; and offers families of students served by such center opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children's education, including opportunities for literacy and related educational development.

The 21st CCLC grant is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and provides funding for the establishment of community learning centers to provide students with academic enrichment opportunities. In addition to academics, 21st CCLC grantees may also use the funds to carry out a broad array of activities that advance student academic achievement and support student success, including before and after school, summer, Saturdays, and holiday programming. A minimum of 50 percent of daily programming must directly target reading, math, and science enrichment with the balance of activities occurring on a rotational basis. "Each eligible entity that receives an award under section 4204 may use the award funds to carry out a broad array of activities that advance student academic achievement and support student success, including:

(1) academic enrichment learning programs, mentoring programs, remedial education activities, and tutoring services, that are aligned with

(A) the challenging state academic standards and any local academic standards; and 

(B) local curricula that are designed to improve student academic achievement;

(2) well-rounded education activities, including such activities that enable students to be eligible for credit recovery or attainment;

(3) literacy education programs, including financial literacy programs and environmental literacy programs;

(4) programs that support a healthy and active lifestyle, including nutritional education and regular, structured physical activity programs; 

(5) services for individuals with disabilities;

(6) programs that provide after-school activities for students who are English learners that emphasize language skills and academic achievement;

(7) cultural programs;

(8) telecommunications and technology education programs;

(9) expanded library service hours;

(10) parenting skills programs that promote parental involvement and family literacy;

(11) programs that provide assistance to students who have been truant, suspended, or expelled to allow the students to improve their academic achievement;

(12) drug and violence prevention programs and counseling programs;

(13) programs that build skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (referred to in this paragraph as 'STEM'), including computer science, and that foster innovation in learning by supporting nontraditional STEM education teaching methods; and

(14) programs that partner with in-demand fields of the local workforce or build career competencies and career readiness and ensure that local workforce and career readiness skills are aligned with the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 (20 U.S.C. 2301 et seq.) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (29 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.). 

• PENN*LINK Announcement (Word)
• 2023-2029 21st CCLC Cohort 12 Request for Application (RFP) (PDF)

2024-29 Required Attachments

Please note that all attachments must be uploaded in e-Grants application.         

• Letter of Agreement for Partners and Vendors (Word)
• Letter of Agreement for School Districts (Word) New Required Document
  
• Sample Operating Schedule (Word)
• Center Expectations LOA for Principals (Word)
• Sample Advance Payment Request Letter (PDF)
  
• Multi-Year Program Design and Program Performance Form (Word)
• Certification Signature Page (see Appendix C, pg. 84)
• Private School Consultation Form (see C12 RFP) (Word)
  
• Data Sharing Agreement (Word) New Required Document

Cohort 12 Awardees