WQIO Ohio's Super Station
COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced 299 grantees have been awarded federal funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) program to provide enrichment opportunities for students as they prepare to head back to school. The program creates or expands community learning centers that provide academic enrichment and youth development programs for students who attend predominantly high-poverty and low-performing schools. Quality after-school and summer programming is an important part of Future Forward Ohio, the state’s strategic priorities for helping students recover from the impact of the pandemic.
“We are committed to making sure Ohio’s students have more opportunities to learn,” said Governor DeWine. “These community partnerships are critical to providing students with strong after-school and summer programming that will help them thrive.” The Department awarded $53,928,013.60 of funding to grant recipients for Fiscal Year 2024. One hundred and forty-two new award recipients were selected from more than 220 applications through a rigorous review process. Priority was given to programs that serve students in rural schools. In addition,157 grantees received continuation funding based on prior-year grant awards, totaling $25,730,300.
The purpose of the 21st CCLC program is threefold. All funded programs must:
- Provide opportunities for academic enrichment to assist students in meeting the state academic standards; Offer students access to a broad array of additional services, such as those that focus on youth development, social-emotional learning, civic engagement, and nutritional and physical health; Offer adult family members of program participants opportunities for educational development and engagement in their children’s education.
All 21st CCLC programs must be implemented through a partnership that includes at least one school and one community organization with a demonstrated record of success in designing and implementing before-school, after-school, summer learning or expanded learning time activities.
“The 21st Century Community Learning Center grantees and their partners offer students opportunities outside of school to engage in high-quality enrichment activities that foster and support academic achievement and overall well-being,” said Dr. Chris Woolard, interim state superintendent of public instruction. A list of grantees may be on the Ohio Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers webpage.
