What Happened?
Marion City Schools in Ohio recently received two 21st Century Community Learning Center grants from the federal government, generating $1 million to two different schools for five years. The federal funding was allocated to help the district set up educational after-school programs focusing on creative writing, foreign language, robotics and other subjects.
The Goal
In partnership with the I CAN Center of Excellence, Marion Harding High School and Grant Middle School will offer students a menu of after-school programs that are typically not taught during the regular school day. Students will be able to choose which classes to attend based on their interests, thus encouraging exploratory learning and diverse academic efforts outside of the classroom.
The 21st Century Community Learning Center grants were originally created to provide academic enrichment after school hours, with a specific focus on low-income communities and underperforming school districts across the country. In Marion, students will have access to academic help, service learning opportunities and college or career readiness programs. While the courses are taught in a similar way to regular classroom curriculum, students are choosing to participate so the programs are less focused on grades and test performance.
Many of the programs offer more than coursework to interested students. Numerous options include partnerships with local community organizations and businesses that provide hands-on experience through volunteer work or internships. The overarching goals of the programs include:
- Improving student performance
- Engaging students in diverse coursework
- Enhancing wellness
- Collaborating with community organizations
- Increasing parent involvement in learning
- Keeping kids in school
- Encouraging students to seek higher education beyond high school
Grant Opportunities
The 21st Century Community Learning Center grants through the U.S. Department of Education support the development of learning centers across the country, where academic resources or performance are lacking. The short-term goals of the program include helping students meet state standards on tests. In the long-term, the grants are designed to supplement regular school offerings and remove barriers to college.
Only State Education Agencies are eligible for the grants, while nonprofit organizations partnering with local school districts may apply for subgrants. The U.S. Department of Education disseminates formula grants to state educational agencies, and local school districts apply to competitions for portions of the grants , oftentimes partnering with community-based organizations, private entities or multiple groups.
For educational agencies that are awarded federal funding, there are numerous options for the programs that can be setup with the money such as:
- Enrichment learning programs offering assistance to students
- Math and science activities
- Music and art education
- Entrepreneurial courses
- Tutoring services
- Language skills
- Recreational and physical fitness programs
- Technology education
- Family literacy programs
- Drug and violence prevention
- Counseling resources
The federal government also collects performance data for all programs funded and shares best practices with other struggling communities through resources such as You for Youth.
Leveraging Federal Funds
Gov1 has reported on several examples of federal funding used at the local level to improve amenities such as transportation upgrades and museum developments.