Title IV, Part B (Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grant Program)

The Office of Federal Programs (OFP) would like to solicit your feedback on requesting a waiver to the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) to waive the period of availability for Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2020 and Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) 2021 of Title IV, Part B (Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC)) of the Elementary and Secondary Act (ESEA Fund). The waiver would allow the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) to reallocate unused funds to supplement activities to existing 21st CCLC grantees. 

Local education agencies and the public are invited to provide comments until 5:00 p.m., Thursday, October 3, 2024, as part of the waiver process under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Those wishing to comment on the requested waiver should email the comments to federalprograms2@mdek12.org. Please indicate “Title IV-B Tydings Waiver” in the subject line. The MDE will consider all comments.

Overview

The purpose of the Mississippi Department of Educations' Title IV, Part B, Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Program is to provide opportunities for communities to establish or expand activities in community learning centers that:

• provide academic enrichment opportunities for children, particularly for students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools, to meet state and local student standards in core academic subjects;
• offer students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement their regular academic programs; and
• offer literacy and other educational services to the families of participating children.

These centers can operate before, during, or after school or any time the regular school day is not in session.

Eligibility

Any public or private organization is eligible to apply for a Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC grant. Examples of agencies and organizations eligible under the Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC Program include, but are not limited to, school districts, non-profit agencies, city or county government agencies, faith-based organizations, institutions of higher education, and for-profit corporations. 

Types of Projects/Programs

• Remedial education activities and academic enrichment learning programs
• Mathematics and science education activities
• Arts and music education activities
• Entrepreneurial education programs
• Tutoring services and mentoring programs
• English Learner (EL) programs that emphasize language skills and academic achievement
• Recreational activities
• Telecommunications and technology education programs
• Expanded library service hours
• Programs that promote parental engagement and family literacy
• Programs that assist students who have been truant, suspended, or expelled
• Drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, and character education programs

Award Funding and Periods

Mississippi funds programs for four years on a degrading scale formula contingent upon proper implementation of the proposed project, completion and submission of all required documentation and future congressional appropriations. Recipients will receive funding at 100% for the first two years of the program, 80% in year three, and 60% of their original funding in year four.

For more information, please visit https://www2.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/index.html.