21st Century Spotlights: Students Gaining Ground in 21st CCLC Programs
21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) programs benefit students in more ways than one, from boosting academic performance to promoting positive behaviors to providing a safe, structured environment for children to go after school. Improving academic outcomes is a key goal of 21st CCLC and policymakers tend to focus on the high stakes outcomes like test scores. While many programs report gains in areas such as math and reading/ ELA achievement and improved standardized test scores, it is important to note that programs help students make gains in other areas as well, even if they are less reported and/or less recognized. Programs across the country help students improve their school day attendance, classroom behavior, social and emotional skills, and school engagement; these additional measures help capture the full impact that 21st CCLC programs can have on students.