21st Century Community Learning Centers

21st CCLC is a critical source of funding for more than 10,000 local afterschool and summer learning program sites.

The Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to supporting quality, local  afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs. The program serves nearly 1.4 million youth and their families, through grants awarded by state education agencies.  Each state receives funds based on its share of Title I funding for low-income students. Grants are managed at the state level and support local schools, community based organizations, faith-based organizations, charter schools, park and recreation departments and more, that provide afterschool and summer learning programs to students attending high-poverty, low-performing schools. 21st CCLC was reauthorized in 2015 as part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Programs support:

• Academic enrichment activities that can help students meet state and local achievement standards, including literacy and math skills.
• A broad array of additional enrichment services designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program, such as: career and technical education programs, art, music programs, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs, drug and violence prevention programs, and physical activity and nutrition education programs.
• Literacy and related educational development services to the families of children who are served in the program.

Funding and Advocacy.  The funding level for 21st CCLC is set each year by Congress in an appropriations bill that is then signed into law by the president. The government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. In a typical year, the president releases a proposed budget in February for Congress to consider. The House and Senate then debate and develop their own funding proposals and bills through the spring, and then work together on a compromise bill that both entities must pass, ideally before October when the fiscal year begins. A history of funding levels per year are shown on the table below, or view a Table of funding and students served per state. Eliminating or cutting support for 21st CCLC would have a devastating effect on the nearly 1.4 million students and more than 10,000 rural, urban and suburban communities who rely on these programs nationwide.  Learn more about how you can reach out to Congress in support of 21st CCLC. See the Policy Blog for updates.

21st CCLC 101 - Facts and Figures and Who is Served. For more than 25 years, 21st Century Community Learning Centers have been providing high quality programming to a wide range of children grades pre-K to 12th grade in communities nationwide. This downloadable fact sheet is a great primer on who is served and key outcomes of local programs.

Data and Evaluation. Are 21st CCLC programs effective in helping students improve academic outcomes, increasing school day attendance, and moving the needle on a range of other important indicators? The answer is yes. View state and national evaluations and reports that demonstrate conclusively the effectiveness of 21st CCLC and afterschool programs. You can also access evaluation overviews of both 21st CCLC programs and other afterschool programs.

ESSA Background and Toolkit. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) includes 21st CCLC as well as a host of other important funding streams and policies that support quality afterschool programs. An ESSA Toolkit helps advocates understand the law and the opportunities within to support afterschool. View 21st CCLC legislative language  (see pages 233 through 244 of the legislation).

Improving and Enhancing 21st CCLC.  The Every Student Succeeds Act will eventually be updated and reauthorized. The Afterschool Alliance is convening a work group to solicit input from a wide range of local, state and national stakeholders to help inform recommendations to Congress as part of an eventual reauthorization. You can send us your thoughts on making 21st CCLC work even better. You can also take a look at how different states implement policies within their request for proposal (RFP) processes.

21st CCLC and the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.  In June 2022, Congress passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act which included gun safety measures, mental health support investments, and school safety provisions that aim to prevent gun violence. Among the youth- and school-related provisions in the BSCA is $50 million in additional funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program, to be available through September 30, 2023. The additional 21st CCLC funds include a focus on afterschool and summer learning programs for middle and high school students.

21st CCLC at the Department of Education. The US Department of Education provides oversight, assistance to state education agencies, evaluation reports, and regulatory support for 21st CCLC. Additionally the Department supports state education agencies and local 21st CCLC afterschool programs through the National Technical Assistance Center. In fall of 2024 the Department updated the non-regulatory guidance for 21st CCLC. The new guidance can be found here, and the Afterschool Alliance blog on the guidance is accessible as well.

Profiles of 21st CCLC programs:

• Lathrop After The Bell: Programs engage older youth
• Birmingham Regional Empowerment and Development Center (BREAD): Partnerships allow for unique programming opportunities
• Hornets of Character (Colcord Public Schools): Programs reaching students most in need
• Raider’s ARK (Academics Reinforcing Knowledge): Programs reaching students most in need
• Safe Harbor, in Michigan City, Indiana): Introducing kids to STEM and building employability skills
• Project EXTRA, in Laconia, New Hampshire: Evolving to meet changing community needs

Budget Chart

21st CCLC FY2025 vs. Afterschool Alliance Proposed FY2026 State Budget Chart

21st CCLC Facts and Figures (2025)

Learn more about 21st CCLC, a critical source of funding for many afterschool programs.

21stCCLC Evaluation

Fifteen Years of Evaluation of 21st Century Community Learning Centers