EIA N EW O PPORTUNITY S ERIES A LAN C ARTER 21 ST C ENTURY C OMMUNITY L EARNING C ENTERS

About Us…  A division of University Instructors  Partnership Development with NPO’s  Focus on Grant and RFP Opportunities  UI Afterschool Academy - 21 st CCLC  School Improvement Grants (SIG)  Received over $6.5 million in awards

Experience in 21 st CCLC  Have Provided Services for 9 years  First For-Profit Fiscal Agent in VA  Co-Apply with Districts – Turnkey Delivery  File multiple applications in each cycle  Achieved MPSO – Heart of UI Mission

What is a 21 st CCLC? Authorized under Title IV Part B of ESEA 21 st Century Community Learning Centers  Academic support for core subjects  Enrichment activities  Literacy and educational outreach to families

Restricted to Eligible Schools and Students  Title I Schools with >40% FRL  Students at Low Performing Schools  At-Risk Underserved Populations  Parents

NCLB Made Radical Changes to Title IV Require Research Based Activities  Principles of effectiveness  Continuous evaluation Focus on Academic Improvement  Improve student performance in core subjects  Permits adult services to student families

Additional Changes… Transfer Program Oversight to States  States file annual application  USED makes awards  States issue competitive RFP’s  Multi-year funding (3-5 years)  Highly competitive (VA-100 apps – 30 awards)

No Longer Exclusive to Schools and Districts  Private Not-for-profit organizations (NPO)  Faith based organizations (FBO)  For profit organizations (FPO)  Community based organizations (CBO)

New Requirements  Restricted to Afterschool  Target Poor and Low Performing Schools  Priority Points for Serving Title I Schools Identified as Needs Improvement  Priority Points for Joint Applications  Permit Matching Requirements

Program Parameters Afterschool  for 2-1/2 to 4 hours  Minimum of 12 hours per week  4 – 5 Days per Week (No Saturdays) Serve Entire School Year (28 – 36 weeks)  Optional 2-4 Week Summer Program Mix of Academic Remediation and Enrichment Highly Qualified Staff

Process For State Award Step 1:  State issues RFP in Spring Step 2:  Applications Received Step 3:  Evaluation by Multiple Readers Step 4:  Priority Points Awarded Step 5:  Scoring Reviewed by State – Cut Score Step 6:  Awards in July Step 7:  Services in September

Prerequisites 1. Ability to Partner with Districts 2. Ability to Conduct Needs Assessment 3. Commitment to Students – Not Revenues 4. Commitment to Data Driven Decisions 5. Possess a Robust I/S Infrastructure

Requires Strong Partnership Skills  Far Different From Adversarial SES Relationship  Partnering With School to Obtain Grant Allows Provider to be a Hero if Awarded  Close Trusting Relationships  Provider Must Take the Lead

Set Expectations… Provide partners with information upfront! Choose partners wisely

Define Partner Roles Memorandum of Understanding  Signed early in process  Not wise to invest time and money without an MOU Staffing and Management Agreement  Detail responsibilities of Fiscal Agent and Co-Applicant Partner  Establish costs and payment terms  Multiple year agreement

Characteristics of a Strong Application 1. Solid Program Design with Proven Results 2. Measurable Objectives Tied to Needs 3. Activities Tied to Measurable Objectives 4. Thorough Management Plan 5. Reasonable Budget 6. Unique Attributes 7. Strong Writing Skills

Characteristics of a Strong Program 1. True Partnership Based on Trust 2. Strong Leadership 3. High Quality Staff 4. Effective Curriculum and Materials 5. Student Focused 6. Fun and Engaging 7. Not Simply Extension of School Day

Types of Activities  Tutoring and Homework Help  Computer Based Activities  Partner Provided Content  Workshops  Clubs  Field Trips  Parent Nights

Staffing  Site Coordinator  Parent Involvement Specialist  Lead Instructor  Teachers  School Liaison  Instructors

Needs Assessments  Community  Parent/Guardian  School Staff & Teachers  Students

Forms, Forms & More Forms From surveys to permission slips & beyond!

Evaluate Effectiveness

Data Tracking and Reporting  Attendance  Student Assessment and Progress  Instructional Activities  Programming Variety  Integrity to Plan  Participant Satisfaction  Reporting  Student Outcomes

Pros and Cons of 21 st CCLC ProsCons Ability to use existing staffRequires special skills Similar afterschool environmentExpanded responsibility Multi-year contractLimited windows to apply Predictable RevenuesHigh risk of not being funded Opportunity to add servicesHeavy startup costs to launch Relationship buildingRequires constant attention Capacity building in organizationHigh stress on organization Transparent test of effectiveness

Questions? Thank you for joining us today! I will be happy to answer questions you have submitted during the webinar.