SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that the California Department of Education (CDE) is awarding $2.1 million to 10 grantees for after school programs at 13 high schools across the state. Each of these grantees may receive up to $250,000 annually over a five-year period.

"I am pleased to make these funds available to these worthy after school programs whose goals are to improve academic achievement and provide enrichment opportunities for our teenage students," O'Connell said. "This is the second year we have been able to offer funding for the high school level."

The 10 winning applications were selected from 65 proposals that requested a total of $23 million in funding. The funding for these high school after school projects represents California's interest and investment in learning effective ways to support the academic achievement of our older student population during critical out-of-school hours. Programs will be structured using components included in legislation passed in 2002 (AB 1984, Steinberg, California 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens "ASSETs" Program).

The following were selected as grant award recipients: City of Richmond (in partnership with West Contra Costa Unified School District), Coachella Valley Unified School District, Fresno County Office of Education (in partnership with Parlier Unified School District, Golden Plains Unified School District, and Fresno Unified School District), Pajaro Valley Joint Unified School District, Sweetwater Union High School District, International Rescue Committee, (a community based organization (CBO)in partnership with San Diego City Unified School District), and three CBOs in partnership with Los Angeles Unified School District (the Children Youth and Family Collaborative, Keep Youth Doing Something, and the Korean Youth and Community Center).

Funding is being provided through the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) Program and is part of a larger allocation to expand after school programs in California. In 2003-04, the 21st CCLC program brought an additional $29 million to California for after school programs.

Consistent with O'Connell's goal to reduce the burden of paperwork placed on districts and schools, the CDE will not require applicants whose proposal met the criteria above to prepare and submit new grant applications in the next competitive process for FY 2004-05 funding. Rather, the CDE will carry forward the remaining 2003-04 quality applications that met absolute and competitive priorities and fund the eligible, non-Title I, Section 1116, schools using FY 2004-05 funds.This group includes Long Beach Unified, Flintridge Foundation (in partnership with Pasadena Unified), Soledad Unified, Hemet Unified, San Diego County Office of Education, San Francisco Unified, and Goodwill Industries of Santa Clara County (in partnership with San Jose Unified). Both groups of awardees, with the designated high schools from which students will be served, are listed at Before & After School - Learning Support. 

Previously, beginning in 1997, the 21st CCLC was administered by the U.S. Department of Education. The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB, 2002) transferred the program administration in California to the CDE. The program offers five, one-year grant funding to local community partnerships to provide activities in the after school hours focusing on improved academic achievement by integrating support of each student's regular day schedule, enrichment services that reinforce and complement the academic program of the school the students attend, and family literacy services.

Entities eligible to apply for funding include local educational agencies cities, counties, community-based organizations and other public or private entities that may include faith-based organizations or a consortium of two or more such agencies, organizations, or entities.

Consistent with federal statute, awards were restricted to only those applicants that proposed to serve students who attend schools eligible for Title I Schoolwide Programs. Competitive priority was given to Title schools that included a partnership between a local education agency receiving Title I funds and another public or private entity.