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Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers

The Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program is a federal program funded under Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

This federal funding stream focuses on out of school time programming for expanded academic enrichment opportunities for children attending high poverty schools. Tutorial services and academic enrichment activities are designed to help students meet local and state academic standards in subjects such as reading and math. In addition, programs may provide youth development activities, drug and violence prevention programs, technology education programs, art, music and recreation, counseling, and character education to enhance the academic component of the program. 

21st Century Community Learning Center logo

Program Purpose

The goal of the 21st CCLC program is to raise student academic achievement through the creation and expansion of community learning centers that provide students with academic enrichment opportunities as well as additional activities designed to complement their regular academic program. Families of 21st CCLC youth participants also have access to educational development opportunities through the program. Centers can be located in elementary, middle or secondary schools or similarly accessible facilities. They provide a range of high quality services to support student learning and development, including tutoring and mentoring, homework help, academic enrichment (e.g., hands-on science or technology programs), and community service opportunities, as well as music, arts, sports and cultural activities.

Authorized under Title IV B, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the specific purposes of the law are to:

  • Provide opportunities for academic enrichment, including tutorial services to help students, particularly those who attend low-performing schools, meet state and local student performance standards in core academic subjects like reading and mathematics.
  • Offer students a broad array of additional services, programs, and activities designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students.
  • Offer families of students served by community learning centers, opportunities for literacy education and related educational development.

Fiscal Year 2023
Funding Level: $6,319,398.00
Communities Served

  • 24 Grants
  • 60 Sites
  • 19 School Districts and Communities

Barnstead
Program Director: Christopher (Topher) Bishop
603-269-5161 x333
cbishop@mybes.org

Berlin
Program Director: Judy Arsenault
603-752-6500 ext 1178
Judy.arsenault@frc123.org

Concord
Program Director: Susan Farrelly
603-225-0800 x6123
sfarrelly@sau8.org

Conway
Program Director: Tim Neugebauer
603-901-2029
t_neugebauer@sau9.org

Dover Housing Authority
Program Director: Stacey Kearns
603-749-6692 x145
skearns@doverhousingauthority.org

Franklin
Program Director: Kathleen Hawkins
603-934-2118
khawkins@franklinnh.org

Haverhill
Program Director: Jennifer West
603-787-2100 x304
jwest@sau23.org

Hinsdale
Program Director: Maryanne O’Malley
603-336-5332 x7630
momalley@hnhsd.org

Laconia
Program Director: Joanne Allen
603-524-5710
jallen@laconiaschools.org

Manchester
Program Director: Tom McGee
603-624-6384 x3030
tmcgee@mansd.org

Monadnock
Program Director: Frannie Ashworth
603-357-2044
fashworth@mrsd.org

Nashua
Program Director: Gail Casey
603-966-1744
caseyg@nashua.edu

Newfound
Program Director: Susan Seaverns
603-744-6006 x1517
sseaverns@sau4.org

Ossipee (Governor Wentworth School District)
Program Director: Amiee Lussier
603-539-4589
alussier@sau49.org

Portsmouth
Program Director: Emma Boniche
1-203-331-5838
efboniche@gmail.com

Raymond
Program Director: Patrick Arsenault
603-895-3394 x4308
p.arsenault@sau33.com

Rumney
Program Director: Peggy Grass
603-786-9591 x107
mgrass@pemibaker.org

Seabrook - Friends of Seabrook Community
Program Director: Forrest Carter, Jr.
603-997-1909
forrest@friendsofseabrookcommunity.org

Winchester (ACCESS)
Program Director: Lola Bobrowski
603-392-0257
lbobrowski@access-winchester.com

 

21st CCLC Guidance 

NH Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC Grantee Guidance 2022-2023

  • Homework clubs utilize certified teachers to support school day learning.
  • Programs offer a minimum of 15 hours programming per week.
  • Program offerings are designed to complement the academic school day.
  • Programming is offered through collaboration between a local education agency (LEA) and one or more community based organizations (CBO), faith based organizations (FBO), or other public or private entities.
  • Programming operates outside of the scheduled school day.
  • Programs work with their communities to provide a minimum 4 week, full-day summer program.
  • Services to the family members of participating students may include family literacy activities and other educational activities based on community needs.
  • Transportation is not a barrier.

21st CCLC Program Technical Assistance - Guidance Documents with Links

21st CCLC GPRA Measures Guidance

U.S. Department of Education, 21st CCLC

Legislation, Regulations and Guidance - 21st Century Community Learning Centers 

21st CCLC Grant

The 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) grant funds are intended to assist local education agencies (LEAs), community organizations (CBOs), and faith-based organizations (FBOs) in providing before school, after school, and summer programming to youth in high poverty communities through the creation of 21st Century Community Learning Center programs.

Annual Program Risk Assessment

Federal regulations require State monitoring of school local education agencies (LEAs) and community based organizations (CBOs) accepting Federal funds. The New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE) monitors work in partnership with LEAs and CBOs to provide technical assistance that ensures compliance with program requirements and helps LEAs and CBOs reach their performance goals. As a pass-through entity, it is the NHDOE’s, responsibility in Title 2 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Part 200.331, which requires the NHDOE to “evaluate each subrecipient’s risk of noncompliance with federal statutes, regulations, and the terms and conditions of the subaward for purposes of determining the appropriate subrecipient monitoring.”

To comply with this requirement, the NHDOE's 21st Century Community Learning Centers program (21st CCLC) conducts an annual risk assessment of all subrecipients, including LEAs and CBOs to determine their potential risk of noncompliance. The risk assessment criteria include indicators and weights derived from multiple sources. Each subrecipient is allotted points based upon these criteria, and assigned a risk level of high, medium, or low based on the total number of points allotted.

Expanded Learning Time Policy

The definition of Expanded Learning Time is: the time that a local educational agency 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.

Currently the 21st CCLC program at the New Hampshire Department of Education is currently not offering Expanded Learning Time (ELT) in their grant application.  At this time the state does not feel that ELT is a viable option for these grants.  

External Organization Profile

In accordance with Title IV, Part B, 21stCCLC of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the New Hampshire State Department of Education (NHED) is required to provide a list of prescreened external organizations, as described under section 4203(a)(11). By collecting, screening, and publishing a list of external non-profit organizations that have expressed interest, the potential for partnerships with current and future 21st CCLC programs is more easily realized.

The term “external organization” is defined, by ESSA, as: ‘‘(A) a nonprofit organization with a record of success in running or working with before and after school (or summer recess) programs and activities; or (B) in the case of a community where there is no such organization, a nonprofit organization in the community that enters into a written agreement or partnership with an organization described in subparagraph (A) to receive mentoring and guidance in running or working with before and after school (or summer recess) programs and activities” 

To meet the requirements for the minimum record of success, any organization submitting a Profile must: 

  1. Operate as a nonprofit in good standing in New Hampshire; and 
  2. Have a minimum of five years of experience operating or delivering services to or within before and afterschool programs in New Hampshire. If your organization meets these requirements, you are eligible to complete and submit a Profile.

If your organization meets the record of success requirements, you are eligible to complete and submit the Profile between March 1st and May 1st of each year. All eligible prescreened organizations will remain on the published list for three years from the date posted on the NHED website.

NH 21st CCLC External Organization Profile Form

Disclaimers:

  1. Any organization that meets the requirements and submits by May 1, 2023, will be included in the published list.
  2. No funding or endorsement is associated with an organization being in the published list.
  3. Completing a profile is not required as part of any 21st CCLC grant competition. 
  4. The NHED reserves the right to remove an external organization from the list for failure of the organization to meet the conditions specified within the profile. 
  5. The NHED does not guarantee any amount of work given to any provider listed on the external organization list.
  6. The “NH 21st CCLC List of Prescreened External Organizations” will be posted for informational purposes only for any 21st CCLC grant applicant to view and utilize at their own discretion. 21st CCLCs are not required to partner specifically with any external organizations that are on the published list.
  7. All information submitted on the “Profile Form” by an external organization is considered public information.
  8. Incomplete profiles will not publish in the list.

Additional Resources

Contacts

Kathleen A. Vestal
New Hampshire State Director
(603) 271-3853
(603) 520-6263
Kathleen.A.Vestal@doe.nh.gov

Emily A. Fabian
Program Specialist IV
(603) 271-3646
(603) 931-9471
Emily.A.Fabian@doe.nh.gov