Welcome to a New Ally
It’s always good when leaders come together to improve our children’s education, and that happened yesterday when the Ford Foundation announced its new Time to Succeed Coalition. More than 100 education and civic leaders from diverse backgrounds launched a national coalition to expand and redesign learning time for our kids. We wholeheartedly support this effort to improve student achievement by ensuring that children have more time to learn.
For more than a decade, the afterschool and summer learning community has been at the forefront of expanded learning. Quality programs can serve as models for communities and schools as they find ways to give students opportunities for hands-on, engaged learning in close collaboration with both schools and community-based organizations such as museums, universities, civic and social service organizations, sports teams, businesses and others. The afterschool community will be delighted to share the
lessons learned from decades of this work.
The Time to Learn Coalition leaders are right that we should no longer structure our schools for an agrarian society that no longer exists. Afterschool, before-school and summer programs have long been filling in the gaps, keeping kids safe, inspiring them to learn, and supporting working families in the hours when schools are closed but parents are still on-the-job. Over the years, we’ve learned a tremendous amount about how to support and complement, but not replicate, school day activities. There’s now a huge body of evidence that demonstrates that afterschool, before-school and summer programs are highly effective and the reasons they work so well. We look forward to sharing that evidence with leaders of this new coalition and helping them incorporate it in their own work.
We were especially pleased yesterday to hear Chris Gabrieli of the National Center on Time & Learning stress the importance of engaging communities in school day expansion. In too many cases, that hasn’t happened in the recent, early experiments that add time to the school day. It is great news for our kids that the Time to Succeed leaders plan to make it a priority now.
Yesterday’s announcement was further evidence of growing support to expand learning opportunities for our students. Just last month, more than 500 individuals and 400 organizations signed onto the Expanded Learning and Afterschool Project—an important campaign to focus on quality in expanded learning and afterschool. It recognizes that merely adding time is not a solution to what ails our schools. We need quality activities that meet the needs of diverse students, and we need to use extra time to help struggling students find and follow their passions so they will discover the joy of learning.
We see potential for progress in the announcement yesterday, and stand ready to help as specifics begin to be put into place. We want to ensure that all students as well as teachers are empowered by expanded learning opportunities, that community- and faith-based partners and parents are engaged, and that there are soon safe, supervised, engaging, educational activities available to all students during all the hours until their parents return from work.
Right now, 15 million students are unsupervised each afternoon after the school day ends. We can and must do better. Redirecting inadequate federal funds won’t get us where we need to go. We need to find more public and private funding so that all underserved and at-risk children are safe, engaged and learning after the school day ends. The afterschool, before-school and summer community is ready to do its part and to work with Time to Succeed, the Expanded Learning and Afterschool Project, and others to make that happen.
A Study in Contrasts: The 2013 Federal Budget Picture
Congress is back in session through the end of the month and appropriations work continues in both the House and the Senate, with individual spending bills starting to be marked up (including the Commerce, Justice, Science bill last week). In addition to the so-called “Ryan Budget” passed last month by the House of Representatives, the president's proposed budget for FY2013 and the sequestration spending levels determined by the Budget Control Act of 2011, there was a fourth budget proposed last week by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad (D-ND). Based on the Simpson-Bowles deficit reduction plan that was developed by a large, bipartisan committee two years ago, the Conrad Budget, however, lacks the necessary support among Democrats to make it out of the Budget Committee, let alone be passed by the full Senate.
The three other budget plans, however, include more detail, and are truly a study in contrasts. For a program in the Department of Education like the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative, which supports before-school, afterschool and summer learning programs, the differences in the three budgets are stark:
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While Congress has begun the budget and appropriations process, most in D.C. do not expect a final Fiscal Year 2013 budget until December or later. The president submitted his FY2013 budget proposal in mid-February, calling for $1.153 billion for 21st CCLC. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) competing budget proposal is estimated to reduce funding for education programs like the 21st CCLC by about 19 percent, a decrease of $219 million. An undercurrent throughout this year’s spending process is the Budget Control Act of 2011, which was passed last August and calls for significant deficit reduction. As a result of the sequestration process outlined in the legislation, education programs could see a cut of 9 percent—about $105 million for 21st CCLC.
There is still time before the FY2013 spending levels will be finalized. Child advocates and supporters of afterschool programs can weigh in with their Members of Congress on the three budget paths ahead. Depending on the path ultimately chosen by Congress, up to 219,000 children currently engaged in active learning programs during the out-of-school hours could be on their own next school year.
Support for Juvenile Justice Funding in Congress
This week the House and Senate Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Appropriations subcommittees are moving forward with their work on spending bills for fiscal year 2013. Federal funding for state and local juvenile justice programs seems likely to take another big hit as Congress continues the trend from the past several years of reducing federal discretionary spending.
Deep cuts in critical federal juvenile justice funding jeopardize state efforts to prevent juvenile delinquency. On school days, the hours between 3 and 6 p.m. are the peak hours for juvenile crime, and quality afterschool programs for young people offered during those hours can help prevent youth violence. In order to ensure that state, local and private dollars continue to be leveraged effectively to promote public safety, prevent delinquency and protect some of our most vulnerable children and youth, the Afterschool Alliance has joined with other youth-serving and juvenile justice groups in support of funding levels for four key juvenile justice programs as follows:
- $80 million for the JJDPA Title II State Formula Grants Program;
- $65 million for the JJDPA Title V Delinquency Prevention Program with no earmarks;
- $100 million for Youth Mentoring Grants program managed by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP); and
- $30 million for Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG) Program
In contrast, the House subcommittee’s proposal for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1 would cut juvenile justice funding to $209 million—down from $424 million in fiscal year 2010. With regard to the funding for the four programs above, the House CJS Appropriations Subcommittee draft bill proposes to fund the JJDPA Title II Program at only $33 million (down from $40 million in FY2012) and to largely eliminate funding for the JJDPA Title V and JABG programs. The bill proposes $90 million for the youth mentoring program.
On the Senate side, the details of the Senate CJS Appropriations Subcommittee spending bill are not yet available, however a press release from Chairwoman Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) this week said the panel would support a total of $278 million for juvenile justice.
The final number is likely to be somewhere in between the House and Senate figures, but that would represent a cut from the $263 million that juvenile justice programs received for fiscal year 2012. Afterschool advocates can contact the House and Senate CJS Appropriations Subcommittees here in support of juvenile justice funding.
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This Week in Congress: FY2013 Appropriations, WIA and the Rebuild America Act
Both the House and the Senate were in session this week, resulting in a great deal of activity. No less than three House Committee hearings focused on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education spending for the upcoming 2013 fiscal year. Legislation addressing programs for youth and access to quality child care were also introduced this week.
On Tuesday, March 27, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education convened a hearing to provide four school superintendents an opportunity to discuss the importance of federal investments in K-12 education. The superintendents were all in agreement about their dependence on federal aid to support critical programs and populations within their school districts. There was also consensus on the importance of afterschool and summer learning programs. When Ranking Member DeLauro (D-CT) asked the four superintendents about the value of afterschool programs in their districts, Montgomery County Public Schools (MD) Superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr's response was quick and emphatic: “critically important.” He went on to say that afterschool program supports are critical to helping the school district be successful. The other three superintendents, Dr. Ron Seaver, Central Union District (CA); Dr. Gwile Freeman, Catahoula Parish School District (LA); and Dr. Tim Mitchell, Rapid City Area Schools, SD; all followed with similar answers, stating that the 21st CCLC initiative and afterschool programs are “very important” and help with credit recovery for students. Several of the superintendents mentioned the tremendous need and increasing demand for afterschool programs for young people in their communities.
On Wednesday, March 28, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan returned to Capitol Hill to defend the Administration's FY 2013 proposal to fund the Department of Education before the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. As part of a line of questioning from Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA), Secretary Duncan responded that the federal government should encourage afterschool program efforts by helping provide funding to schools and nonprofit community based organizations. School buildings, he said, should be used as community centers.
On the Senate side, Senator Boxer (D-CA) and eleven other Senators submitted a letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education in support of maintaining a significant investment in the 21st CCLC initiative. This letter follows a similar submitted earlier in March on the House side. Senate Appropriations Committee hearings are expected to begin in April.
Two pieces of legislation recently introduced could create additional afterschool program opportunities for young people. On March 20, Reps. John Tierney (D-MA), Rubén Hinojosa (D-TX) and George Miller (D-CA) introduced legislation to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act. In addition to this bill introduced by Democratic leaders on the House Education and Workforce Committee, a number of House Republicans introduced legislation to reauthorize the Workforce Investment Act in December. With regard to engaging youth in pathways to success, the Workforce Investment Act of 2012 will do the following:
- Expand access to work experience programs, including summer employment, internships, pre-apprenticeship programs, on-the-job training, and service activities.
- Amend the definition of disadvantaged youth to include youth through age 24.
- Increase income eligibility to 150 percent of poverty.
- Require states to assess the needs of and serve youth with disabilities, including through job exploration and mentoring.
- Require that, at minimum, 60 percent of youth formula funds should be spent on out-of-school youth.
- Authorize the competitive Youth Innovation Fund focused on areas of high youth unemployment and poverty to spur the development of innovative strategies.
On March 29, Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, Chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee introduced the Rebuild America Act – comprehensive legislation aimed at improving the economic security of the middle class. The bill has a number of education and other provisions but also includes expanding families’ access to the high-quality, affordable child care that they need to reach or remain in the middle class. The bill establishes a new program – CCDBG Plus – administered by the Department of Health and Human Service that allows for five-year grants to states to create more high-quality child care options for families and to strengthen the quality of care – including about a third of the funds dedicated to providing afterschool care for school-age children. Under the bill, CCDBG Plus is authorized at $5 billion a year for FY 2013 through FY 2022, and would serve children under age 13 in families with income less than or equal to state median income. Priority would be given to children in low-income families (families with incomes that are less than or equal to 200 percent of the federal poverty level).
Sequestration, Appropriations and Budget, Oh My
It is officially appropriations season in Congress. The
president submitted his FY2013 budget proposal last month. The House Budget Committee Chairman is expected to
release a competing budget proposal tomorrow. The House and Senate Appropriations subcommittees have begun holding hearings on the various agencies' budgets. And this year, hanging over it all, is the threat of sequestration included last year as part of the
Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA, PL 112-025).
With regard to federal support for afterschool programs, the House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Subcommittee is scheduled to hold a hearing this Thursday, March 22, at which Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is scheduled to testify. On the following Tuesday, March 27, the subcommittee will hold a second hearing on FY2013 education funding. While the president's budget maintains last year's funding level for the 21
st Century Community Learning Centers (21
st CCLC) initiative, a key funding source for afterschool and summer learning programs, the expected House budget proposal could likely include a funding cut. Efforts in the House by Rep. Kildee (D-MI) and 20 other Members of Congress have resulted in a
letter to appropriators requesting a $100 million increase in 21
st CCLC funding for FY2013.
The Senate LHHS appropriations process is expected to begin in April. Currently a
Senate Dear Colleague letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education is circulating with Senators able to sign on in support of maintaining a significant investment in 21st CCLC. Advocates can weigh in with their Senatoe office in support of the letter and 21st CCLC.
An undercurrent throughout this year’s spending process is the Budget Control Act of 2011 (BCA), which was passed in last August and calls for significant deficit reduction. The first installment of nearly $1 trillion in cuts went into effect immediately and creates binding 10-year limits on annual appropriations bills. The second round of savings should add up to $1.2 trillion over 10 years. Because the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (aka the Super Committee) was not able to agree upon a deficit reduction plan by last Thanksgiving, the BCA requires an alternative way of achieving $1.2 trillion in savings while utilizing no revenue increases and once again concentrating on cuts from appropriations.
The BCA establishes two FY 2013 appropriations caps totaling $1.047 trillion: $546 billion for defense spending (mostly the Department of Defense) and $501 billion on nondefense expenditures. The Super Committee’s failure to reach an agreement has triggered automatic, across-the-board cuts in all non-exempt programs (referred to as ‘sequestration’) to begin in January 2013. For programs under the Department of Education, like 21st CCLC, the sequestration process could result in a 9 percent cut in program funding (about a $103 million cut to 21st CCLC).
Advocates from a number of human service and education organizations are calling on Congress to progress carefully in enacting such cuts. The added dimension of an election year further complicates the process moving forward. As a result, many in Washington feel Congress will ultimately end up passing a Continuing Resolution for FY2013. What remains certain is the need for elected officials to continue to hear about the impact that quality afterschool programs have on young people and their communities. Afterschool advocates can emphasize the importance of maintaining funding support for afterschool programs here.
26 States and DC Submit Applications for ESEA Flexibility Waivers
Last week 26 states and the District of Columbia met the second deadline for states seeking No Child Left Behind (NCLB) flexibility waivers. The following states applied this round: Arkansas, Arizona, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
The Department of Education launched the waiver process last fall as a way to give states a certain amount of flexibility from the mandates of the 10-year-old NCLB law in exchange for states’ implementing standards and accountability reforms. Of particular interest to supporters of afterschool programs has been the optional 11th waiver allowing 21st Century Community Learning Center (21stCCLC) funds to be used to lengthen the school day, week or year. Given the large demand for quality afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs, and the potentially high cost of adding time to the school day, this provision could result in fewer communities having access to quality out-of-school programs. The Department of Education issued additional clarification to states on the 11th waiver in the form of a third addendum to their questions and answers on the waiver process. This new clarification emphasizes that existing 21st CCLC requirements prioritizing school-community partnerships cannot be waived by states; and that the "programming provided through a longer school day, week, or year, must not be 'more of the same' but instead should involve careful planning by the eligible entity to ensure that the programs or activities will be used to improve student achievement and ensure a well-rounded education that prepares students for college and careers."
In the second round of applications, the following 11 states plus the District of Columbia did not check the optional 11th waiver box: Arkansas, Arizona, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. There were 14 states that did “check the box” this round: Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Utah and Virginia.
In early February the Department of Education announced that 11 states had been granted waivers, eight of which had checked the 11th waiver box relating to 21st CCLC funds: Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. Three states did not check the box: Colorado, Georgia and Minnesota. Thirteen states and Puerto Rico have either indicated they will not apply for a waiver or will wait until the third round deadline in the fall.
House Education Committee Passes ESEA Bills, Replaces Afterschool Funding with Block Grant
Late yesterday the House Education and the Workforce Committee passed both the Student Success Act (HR 3989) and theEncouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act (HR 3990) each by partisan votes of 23-16 as part of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization process. Of particular concern to afterschool advocates is the elimination of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative in the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act, which instead replaces the initiative with a general block grant that could be used by states for afterschool and summer learning, or a number of other in-school and out-of-school activities. The 21st CCLC program is currently the primary federal funding source for afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs.
The Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act, originally introduced by Committee Chairman John Kline (R-MN), establishes the Local Academic Flexible Grant, which would replace 21st CCLC, potentially leading to more than 1.1 million students losing access to engaged learning programs that keep students safe, reinforce lessons taught during the school day and help working families. The bill does not provide guidance on the nature of afterschool activities and school-community partnerships eligible to receive block grant funding and would not have the same impact as the current 21st CCLC initiative in leveraging local resources and enhancing student success. The Afterschool Alliance outlined these concerns in a letter sent to Chairman Kline last month.
Ranking Member George Miller (D-CA) introduced a substitute amendment that would have reauthorized the 21st CCLC initiative and maintained a dedicated funding stream for expanded learning opportunities like afterschool and summer learning programs. The Afterschool Alliance sent a letter to Rep. Miller earlier this week in support of his approach and in opposition to the block grant included in the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act. Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education was also a focus of the mark-up debate yesterday, as both HR 3989 and HR 3990 do not include specific language addressing STEM education or science assessments. The Miller Amendment would have included comprehensive STEM education funding as well. The Miller Amendment failed along a party line vote.
Included in the version of HR 3989 that passed the Committee was a revision that included a 3 percent set-aside for states to award grants to school districts that wish to provide important academic services and choice opportunities for students. Under the new authority, school districts could access funds to establish or expand public school choice programs. Additionally, districts could use these funds to support tutoring opportunities for students at low-performing schools - similar to supplemental educational services (SES) under current law.
While both the Student Success Act and the Encouraging Innovation and Effective Teachers Act have passed committee, there are still a number of steps left in the ESEA reauthorization process before either bill would become law. Both bills need to be passed by the full House of Representatives, which provides the opportunity on the House floor for amendments to be offered. A comprehensive Senate ESEA reauthorization bill passed Committee last fall but has not yet been voted on by the full Senate—also another opportunity to offer amendments. If both House and Senate ESEA bills pass their respective chambers, a conference committee will be established to reconcile the two very different approaches.
Friends of afterschool should continue to contact their senators and representatives in support of the 21st CCLC initiative and strengthening federal funding for afterschool, before-school and summer learning programs. The Afterschool for All Challenge on May 8 and 9 in Washington, D.C., presents another opportunity to advocate in person and encourage Members of Congress to support the Afterschool for America’s Children Act (S 1370/HR 3821), which builds on the past success of the 21st CCLC program. Earlier this week Reps. Joe Courtney (D-CT) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) both signed on as additional co-sponsors of the House version of the bill.
NCLB Waivers: New Clarification on 21st CCLC; Eleven States Approved
It has been about five months since the Administration and Department of Education officially announced the availability of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) waivers for states seeking flexibility from NCLB requirements. While the process has been unfolding since then, last week there was a burst of activity with the announcement of the first 11 states to be granted waivers. In addition, with the second round of waivers due at the end of the month, the Department released long overdue clarification on the 11th waiver relating to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) initiative.
On Feb. 9, President Obama announced that ten states have agreed to implement education reforms around standards and accountability in exchange for a certain amount of flexibility from the mandates of the ten year old NCLB law. The 10 states approved for flexibility are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. The Administration granted a waiver to the 11th state, New Mexico, earlier today. Twenty-eight other states along with Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico have indicated their intent to seek waivers.
The next deadline for states waiver applications is Feb. 28. Earlier this week New Hampshire and Maine announced that they will not apply in this second round as originally planned.
The afterschool community's biggest concern with the waiver process is the optional 11th waiver on 21st CCLC. The Afterschool Alliance and a number of other organizations have expressed concern to the Department of Education that states opting for this waiver will be able to use 21st CCLC funds to add time to the school day without any guidance on how the additional time will be used, or without partnering with community-based organizations. Given the large demand for quality afterschool, before-school, and summer learning programs and the potentially high cost of adding time to the school day, this provision could result in fewer communities having access to quality out-of-school programs. Of the 11 states granted waivers last week, eight states checked the box allowing them flexibility as to how they can use their 21st CCLC funds: Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. All but one of the seven included minimal detail in their waiver application regarding how they plan to expand the 21st CCLC program in their state.
In response to concerns from afterschool advocates at the state and national level, the Department issued additional guidance to states on the 11th waiver in the form of a new addendum to their questions and answers on the waiver process. This new clarification emphasizes that existing 21st CCLC requirements prioritizing school-community partnerships cannot be waived by states; and that the "programming provided through a longer school day, week, or year, must not be 'more of the same' but instead should involve careful planning by the eligible entity to ensure that the programs or activities will be used to improve student achievement and ensure a well-rounded education that prepares students for college and careers." The new clarification also states that existing 21st CCLC grantees cannot lose their funds under the waiver process, and that the 21st CCLC "supplement not supplant" provision applies to the use of 21st CCLC funds to support expanded learning time under ESEA flexibility.
The Afterschool Alliance welcomes these new clarifications and is working with states to ensure that this updated information is reflected in any new 21st CCLC policies enacted at the state level as a result of the waiver process. The complete question and answer clarification from the Department is included below:
B-24. What does this flexibility include with respect to expanded learning time?
Under this flexibility, an SEA may request flexibility to permit an eligible entity to use funds under the 21st CCLC program to provide activities that support high-quality expanded learning time during an expanded school day, week, or year in addition to activities during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session (i.e., before and after school or during summer recess). (Modified Feb. 10, 2012)
B-24a. How does ESEA flexibility affect the 21st CCLC program?
At an SEA’s option, the flexibility allows for an additional use of funds for the 21st CCLC program — to provide activities that support high-quality expanded learning time. Expanded learning time is the time that an LEA or school extends its normal school day, week, or year to provide additional instruction or educational programs for all students beyond the State-mandated requirements for the minimum number of hours in a school day, days in a school week, or days or weeks in a school year. Because the 21st CCLC statute restricts the use of program funds to support a broad range of academic enrichment and other activities during “non-school hours or periods when school is not in session,” and expanded learning time is, by definition, an extension of the normal school day, week, or year, an SEA would need the optional ESEA flexibility waiver to allow a 21st CCLC subgrantee to use 21st CCLC funds for activities that support expanded learning time.
With the exception of carrying out 21st CCLC activities during an expanded school day, week, or year, an eligible entity in a State that receives a waiver must comply with all other 21st CCLC requirements.
In other words, other provisions of the 21st CCLC program remain unchanged, including the allocation of funds to SEAs by formula, the requirement that SEAs use 95 percent of their State formula grants to make competitive subgrants, and the entities eligible to compete for those subgrants (which consist of LEAs, community-based organizations, other public or private entities, and consortia of those entities). In a State that has been approved to implement ESEA flexibility, and that has requested the optional flexibility for the 21st CCLC program, eligible entities may submit applications to the SEA for activities that support expanded learning time and/or to operate programs before and after school and during summer recess as allowed under current requirements. For more information on the 21st CCLC program, please refer to ESEA sections 4201-4206 and the February 2003 non-regulatory guidance [available at
http://www2.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/guidance2003.pdf]. (Added Feb. 10, 2012
)
B-24b. When would ESEA flexibility for 21st CCLC funds take effect?
ESEA flexibility would not affect current 21st CCLC subgrantees. Rather, this flexibility would take effect for local competitions conducted after an SEA receives ESEA flexibility. Thus, when an SEA runs its next 21st CCLC competition following the receipt of ESEA flexibility, it may solicit applications from eligible entities to provide activities that support high-quality expanded learning time in addition to activities conducted during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session. (Added Feb. 10, 2012)
B-24c. What are some examples of ways an eligible entity might use 21st CCLC funds to provide activities that support expanded learning time?
An eligible entity in a State that has been approved to implement ESEA flexibility (and has requested the optional flexibility for the 21st CCLC program) may use 21st CCLC funds to provide activities that support high-quality expanded learning time. The 21st CCLC activities may be carried out at any point in time during an extended school day, week, or year. For example, if an LEA lengthens its school day beyond the State minimum, the LEA or another eligible entity might use 21st CCLC funds to provide supplemental science, reading, civics, or art instruction or other supplemental academic enrichment activities to students in the morning or afternoon to allow teachers time to collaborate or plan. Similarly, an LEA working with a community partner, might use 21st CCLC funds to extend its school week and incorporate enrichment activities, such as debate or college preparation, on either Saturday or a week day. Using 21st CCLC funds to support expanded learning time should not be just “more of the same”; it should involve careful planning by the eligible entity to ensure that the programs or activities will be used to improve student achievement and ensure a well-rounded education that prepares students for college and careers. (Added Feb. 10, 2012)
B-24d. Does the 21st CCLC supplement, not supplant provision apply to the use of 21st CCLC funds to support expanded learning time under ESEA flexibility?
Yes, the 21st CCLC supplement, not supplant provision applies to the use of 21st CCLC funds to support expanded learning time under ESEA flexibility. Thus, an SEA receiving a waiver to permit an eligible entity to use 21st CCLC funds to provide activities that support expanded learning time programs must ensure that the 21st CCLC funds are used to supplement, and not supplant, Federal, State, local, or other non-Federal funds that, in the absence of the 21st CCLC funds, would be made available for programs and activities authorized under the 21st CCLC program (ESEA 4203(a)(9) and 4204(b)(2)(G)). (Added Feb. 10, 2012)
