Rural Districts' After-School Programs Benefit From 21st Century CLC Grants

Education Week (12/12, Courrégé) reports on the high degree to which rural districts rely on grant programs like the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant program for after-school programs, which "face a host of challenges because of their isolated locations," such as low funding, staffing difficulties, and transportation programs. "That lack of money is huge for Sherry Comer, who has directed an after-school program in Camdenton, Mo., for 14 years. Her program was one of the original recipients of the federal 21st Century Community Learning Center grants, and it's relied on a combination of sources, such as federal Title I and economic-stimulus money, to keep afloat since then." The article notes that many rural communities need 21st Century Community Learning Center grants to operate, adding that it "offers funding for centers that provide academic-enrichment opportunities during nonschool hours for children, especially those who are considered poor and attend low-performing schools."