The Pennsylvania Department of Education received a Formula Grant award of $51.3 million 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), effective July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026. This award 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 program funds comprehensive out-of-school time programming including tutoring, homework assistance, mentoring, academic enrichment, and extracurricular activities in arts, music, sports, and cultural areas.
As the primary recipient and pass-through entity, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (through its Budget & Fiscal Management Division and Comptroller's Office) will distribute sub-awards to local educational agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community-based entities throughout Pennsylvania to implement these services. The funding supports services delivered outside regular school hours to supplement in-school instruction and foster student academic achievement and overall development for school-aged children and their families across the Commonwealth.