Bensalem Township School District recently announced that the Pennsylvania Department of Education has awarded funding for two new, five-year, Cohort 10 grants in the amount of $400,000 each, per year beginning July 1, 2019 and ending June 30, 2024 to operate 21st Century Learning Centers at:
- Bensalem High School in partnership with the Ivins Outreach Center. The new funding targets students in grades 9-12.
- Robert K. Shafer Middle School, St. Charles Borromeo School and Saint Ephrem School in partnership with the Ivins Outreach Center. The new funding targets students in grades seven and eight.
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant is a competitive grant that provides federal funding to establish community learning centers that provide academic, artistic and cultural enrichment opportunities for students and their families. These opportunities must occur during non-school hours or periods when school is not in session to help students attending qualified schools to meet state and local standards in core academic subjects. Centers must also offer students a broad array of activities that can complement their regular academic programs, to offer literacy and other educational services to their families.
The 21st CCLC program is authorized under Title IV, Part B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015.
The 21st CCLC grant is administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and provides funding for the establishment of community learning centers to provide students with academic enrichment opportunities.
In addition to academics, 21st CCLC grantees may also use the funds to carry out a broad array of activities that advance student academic achievement and support student success, including before and after school, summer, Saturdays and holiday programming. A minimum of 50 percent of daily programming must directly target reading, math and science enrichment with the balance of activities occurring on a rotational basis.
