Education Service Center Region 12

For Release:
Aug. 30, 2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Forty-two districts and community groups awarded
$31 million in grants for after-school programs

AUSTIN – Connally ISD and Temple ISD are two of the 42 school districts and community groups that will receive about $31 million in Texas 21st Century Community Learning Centers Cycle 3 grants to provide services such as tutoring and counseling to Texas youngsters, the Texas Education Agency announced today.

The grants will fund programs at 179 learning centers and serve students at 213 schools. The grant recipients are among 181 organizations that applied for this federal grant, which was authorized by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

The purpose of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Cycle 3, grant program is to provide opportunities beyond the normal school day for communities to establish or expand activities in community learning centers that:

1) provide academic enrichment, including tutorial services to help children, particularly those who attend low-performing schools, to meet state and local student academic achievement standards in subjects, such as reading, mathematics, and science;
2 ) offer students a broad array of additional services, programs and activities, such as youth development activities, drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, art, music, physical education and fitness programs, and technology education programs that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students; and
3 ) offer families of students served by community learning centers opportunities for literacy and related educational development.

Organizations eligible to receive the grant include school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, regional education service centers, community-based organizations and other public and private groups. The program must be carried out in collaboration with the schools the students attend. Each center may serve students from more than one school.

The exact amounts of the grants per year will be negotiated in the coming weeks. However, the grants will range in size from $160,070 to $875,000. The grants cover a three-year period with a possible two years in continuations.

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