21ST century community learning centers program

The Kansas State Department of Education received an $8.78 million formula grant award from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Twenty-First Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) program (CFDA 84.287), obligated on July 1, 2025, with performance completion by September 30, 2026. This grant supports the establishment and expansion of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment and developmental services to school-aged children, particularly those attending high-poverty and low-performing schools. The 21st CCLC program delivers comprehensive out-of-school time programming including tutoring, homework assistance, mentoring, and extracurricular activities in arts, music, sports, and cultural areas during hours outside regular school instruction.

As the prime recipient and pass-through entity, the Kansas State Department of Education distributed sub-awards to 43 implementing organizations across the state, including 38 local educational agencies (school districts), 4 community-based organizations (Boys & Girls Clubs), and 1 additional educational entity. Sub-awardees such as Stafford Unified School District 349, Unified School District 259 (Wichita Public Schools), Topeka Unified District 501, Boys & Girls Clubs of Topeka, and numerous rural Kansas school districts received funding to operate after-school and extended learning centers providing academic support, enrichment programming, and mentoring services to low-income and at-risk youth in their respective communities. These sub-grantees collectively expanded access to out-of-school time learning opportunities designed to supplement in-school instruction and support overall student academic achievement and development.