News
For Immediate Release
December 6, 2012
Illinois State Board of Education awards $14 million in 21st Century Community Learning Center grants for student enrichment and learning opportunities
110 schools receive funds for after- and before-school programs
SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education today announced it has awarded more than $14 million in 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) grants to fund before- and after-school academic enrichment programs. These programs are expected to serve more than 13,600 students from 110 Illinois schools.
The 21st CCLC grant program provides academic enrichment opportunities to help students in low-income, underperforming schools meet state and local performance standards in subjects such as reading and math. The program also offers a variety of services to students and their families, including drug and violence prevention lessons, counseling, art, music and recreation classes, technology education and character education.
“After-school programs keep students active and engaged in learning outside school hours,” said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch. “But those positive afterschool experiences – new opportunities or time with mentors – often inspire new and continued motivation in the classroom.”
The purpose of the 21st CCLC grant program, a key component of the No Child Left Behind Act, is to provide before- and after-school programs for students who attend schools with a 40-percent poverty rate or higher.
Urbana District 116 operates three sites with 21st Century grant funds and is among the Fiscal Year 2013 grantees with plans to expand the program to another two schools. On Thursday afternoon, State Board Member David Fields will visit Urbana Middle School’s program where students are typically engaged in a number of activities such as play rehearsals, photography and computer classes as well as group study sessions.
“These grants offer our students an opportunity to enjoy quality enrichment activities after school,” said Urbana District 116 Superintendent Preston L. Williams. “These activities enhance academics and our students get to participate in far-reaching activities such as cooking, dancing, all different types of sports. It’s great to see our students engaged in these programs.”
Illinois receives funds for the program based on a formula from the U.S. Department of Education. A total of $14 million was available for Fiscal Year 2013 awards through a competitive grant process.
The agency received 104 proposals, totaling more than $33 million from 29 school districts, 50 community- and faith-based organizations, two universities and six regional offices of education. Thirty-seven 21st CCLC grants on behalf of 110 schools were awarded while 67 proposals were not recommended for funding. The 2013 grantees can be renewed for four years but subsequent fiscal years depend upon a sufficient appropriation for the program and satisfactory progress in the previous grant period.
The award amount per school ranges from $50,000 to $150,000. Each applicant could request funds for as many eligible schools as they have the capacity to serve.
The 21st CCLC program’s impact is determined by examining seven performance objectives. These are: student involvement in school activities, student achievement, positive behavioral changes in students, community benefits, expanded learning opportunities, professional development opportunities for program personnel and efficient and effective use of funds.
The College and Career Readiness Division conducts an annual evaluation of the CCLC program and results from the 2010-2011 evaluation of 128 grants indicate that overall, Illinois grantees showed improvements in all seven of the above-mentioned areas.
In 2010-2011, Illinois had 128 active grants with 361 operational centers, which served a total of 53,662 students, half of whom were regular attendees who attended more than 30 days, and 9,373 adult family members. More than 86 percent of students served were from low-income families. The percentage of low-income students who met or exceeded state standards increased on average 6.7 percentage points in reading and 2.4 percentage points in math from 2010 to 2011. For non low-income 21st CCLC participants, smaller gains were noted.
Schools and organizations receiving grants for Fiscal Year 2013 are:
|
Applicant
|
Cities Served
|
Number of Schools
|
New or Previously Funded
|
Total Requested
|
|
East St. Louis SD 189
|
East St. Louis
|
5
|
Previously Funded
|
$551,250.00
|
|
Illinois Alliance for Boys and Girls Club
|
Chicago, Lovejoy, Waukegan, Elgin
|
7
|
New
|
$1,050,000
|
|
Regional Office of Education 27
|
Monmouth
|
1
|
New
|
$150,000.00
|
|
Northeastern Illinois University
|
Chicago
|
4
|
New
|
$600,000.00
|
|
Chicago Public School District 299
|
Chicago
|
21
|
New
|
$3,150,000.00
|
|
Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP)
|
Chicago
|
2
|
Previously Funded
|
$175,000.00
|
|
Mount Vernon City School District 80
|
Mount Vernon
|
1
|
Previously Funded
|
$110,250.00
|
|
Fox Valley Park District
|
Aurora, Montgomery
|
4
|
New
|
$600,000.00
|
|
Youth Organizations Umbrella Inc. (Y.O.U.)
|
Skokie
|
1
|
New
|
$150,000.00
|
|
America SCORES Chicago
|
Chicago
|
3
|
New
|
$450,000.00
|
|
Regional Office of Education 49
|
Rock Island
|
1
|
New
|
$138,000.00
|
|
Aurora East SD 131
|
Aurora
|
3
|
New
|
$450,000.00
|
|
Columbia College Chicago
|
Chicago
|
3
|
New
|
$450,000.00
|
|
Alternative Schools Network
|
Chicago
|
1
|
New
|
$150,000.00
|
|
Central States SER - Jobs for Progress, Inc.
|
Chicago
|
2
|
New
|
$300,000.00
|
|
Boys & Girls Club of Chicago
|
Chicago
|
3
|
Previously Funded
|
$283,500.00
|
|
Benton CHSD 103
|
Benton
|
1
|
Previously Funded
|
$98,475.00
|
|
Springfield Urban League, Inc.
|
Springfield
|
2
|
Previously Funded
|
$272,218.00
|
|
Regional Office of Education 28
|
Buda, Kewanee, Colona, Galva, LaMoille
|
8
|
New
|
$999,520.00
|
|
Illinois Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs
|
Carpentersville
|
1
|
Previously Funded
|
$99,580.00
|
|
Metropolitan Family Services
|
Chicago
|
3
|
Previously Funded
|
$424,067.00
|
|
Christopher Unit SD 99
|
Christopher
|
1
|
New
|
$129,647.00
|
|
Nicasa
|
Round Lake
|
2
|
Previously Funded
|
$136,840.00
|
|
Harold Colbert Jones Memorial Community Center
|
Chicago Heights
|
2
|
New
|
$230,186.00
|
|
Thornton Fractional THSD 215
|
Calumet City, Lancing
|
2
|
New
|
$134,000.00
|
|
DuQuoin CUSD 300
|
DuQuoin
|
2
|
New
|
$332,742.00
|
|
Decatur PSD 61
|
Decatur
|
4
|
Previously Funded
|
$310,725.00
|
|
Youth Organizations Umbrella Inc. (Y.O.U.)
|
Evanston
|
1
|
New
|
$150,000.00
|
|
Youth Organizations Umbrella Inc. (Y.O.U.)
|
Skokie
|
1
|
New
|
$120,000.00
|
|
Family Focus, Inc.
|
Chicago, Cicero
|
2
|
New
|
$300,000.00
|
|
Family Focus, Inc.
|
Chicago, Cicero
|
2
|
Previously Funded
|
$213,000.00
|
|
Venice School District 3
|
Venice
|
1
|
New
|
$149,956.00
|
|
Rochelle CCSD 231
|
Rochelle
|
4
|
New
|
$435,669.00
|
|
Center for Community Academic Success Partnerships (CCASP)
|
Chicago
|
4
|
New
|
$400,000.00
|
|
Boys and Girls Club of Chicago
|
Chicago, Ford Heights
|
1
|
New
|
$150,000.00
|
|
Boys & Girls Club of Chicago
|
Chicago, Ford Heights
|
1
|
New
|
$150,000.00
|
|
Urbana School District 116
|
Urbana
|
2
|
New
|
$300,000.00
|
|
Quad Communities Development Corporation
|
Chicago
|
1
|
New
|
$150,000.00
|
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