Afterschool Alliance Research

Recent Evaluations of 21st Century Community Learning Centers Illustrate Wide Range of Benefits (July 2023)

This brief highlights a cross section of recently conducted statewide evaluations on 21st CCLC programs to illustrate the impacts of this initiative, which is accelerating academic growth, improving students' engagement in school and behavior in class, fostering well-being, and helping students thrive both in school and out.

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21st CCLC Facts and Figures (May 2023)

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool, and summer learning programs. In addition to providing an updated overview of 21st CCLC, including the number of students and families served and activities and supports provided by programs, the brief highlights the impact programs have on students’ academic and behavioral outcomes and addresses the current state of funding for the initiative.

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21st CCLC Facts and Figures (May 2022)

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool, and summer learning programs. In addition to information regarding how 21st CCLC programs have responded to the needs of their communities during the pandemic, this fact sheet provides an updated overview of the 21st CCLC program, highlights its outcomes and benefits, and addresses the current state of funding.

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This is Afterschool (May 2022)

This fact sheet includes data points on how afterschool and summer programs are accelerating students' learning and growth, promoting healthy futures, and providing peace of mind to working parents. Despite programs being vital partners in supporting students’ well-being and academic growth, too many kids are being left out.

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21st CCLC Facts and Figures (April 2021)

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool, and summer learning programs. In addition to information regarding how 21st CCLC programs have responded to the needs of their communities during the pandemic, this fact sheet provides an updated overview of the 21st CCLC program, highlights its outcomes and benefits, and addresses the current state of funding.

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The academic and social and emotional benefits of participation in 21st Century Community Learning Centers (March 2021)

This short brief includes findings from state evaluations of 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) programs—locally designed school and community afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs—that demonstrate the academic and social and emotional benefits that programs provide to support the whole child.

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Two Decades of 21st Century Community Learning Centers: Providing afterschool and summer opportunities to millions of young people and families (February 2021)

The 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) initiative supports local afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs serving students attending high-poverty, low-performing schools. Since the start of the initiative in 1994, 21st CCLC programs have grown and evolved—funding, demand, and the number of students served has increased, as well as what programs offer. Today, programs support whole-child development by providing a safe and supervised space for youth to take part in various enrichment activities ranging from service learning to physical fitness and health, explore their interests, build key life skills, and connect with positive adult mentors. This issue brief explores the history of the initiative and the program’s evolution over its 25 years, while highlighting the importance of 21st CCLC programs and the breadth of work that they do.

• 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

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21st CCLC Facts and Figures (March 2020)

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool, and summer learning programs. This fact sheet provides an updated overview of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program, highlights its outcomes and benefits, and addresses the current state of funding.

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21st Century Community Learning Centers: The evidence base (Feb 2020)

21st Century Community Learning Centers: The evidence base (Feb 2020) Over the course of more than 20 years, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative has expanded and evolved to offer elementary, middle, and high schoolers enriching learning activities outside of the school day in literacy, math, science, the arts, and music, as well as hands-on experiences to help develop workforce skills. This document provides a small sampling of current research that demonstrates participation in Community Learning Centers makes a positive difference in the lives of the young people they serve.

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21st CCLC Facts and Figures (2019)

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to before-school, afterschool, and summer learning programs. This fact sheet provides an updated overview of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program, highlights its outcomes and benefits, and addresses the current state of funding.

Download