21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

Request for Applications

2018–19

California Department of Education

21stCentury
Community Learning Centers Program

Cohort 11

Fiscal Year 2018–19

Request for Applications

For Programs Proposing to Serve Elementary and
Middle/Junior High School Students

Governed by

Title 20 United States Code sections 7171–7176 and

California Education Code sections 8484.7–8484.9

November 2017

Expanded LearningDivision

California Department of Education

1430 N Street, Suite 3400

Sacramento, CA 95814-5901

916-319-0923

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21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

Request for Applications

2018–19

All Request for Applications (RFA) inquiries and correspondence should be directed to:

21stCCLC Grant Application

Expanded Learning Division—21stCCLC RFA Helpdesk

California Department of Education

1430 N Street, Suite 3400

Sacramento, CA 95814-5901

916-319-0923

All RFA questions may be submitted online through the 21stCommunity Learning Centers (CCLC) RFA Helpdesk se indicate “21st RFA Question” in the e-mail subject line.

All questions about the After School Support and Information System (ASSIST)should be submitted online through the ASSIST Helpdesk at .

All questions about the Financial Assistance Application Submittal Tool (FAAST)should be submitted to the State Water Resources Control Board staff by phone at 866-434-1083, Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by e-mail at .

Note: Applicants are strongly encouraged to read this entire 21st CCLC RFA and consider all requirements for eligibility, disqualifications, funding priority, and geographic distribution categories prior to submitting an application.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.Critical Dates for the Application Process ...... 1

II.Purpose and Description of the Program ...... 2

  1. Background ...... 2
  2. Purpose ...... 2
  3. Funding ...... 3
  4. Program Types and Funding ...... 3
  1. BeforeSchool Programs ...... 4
  2. AfterSchool Programs ...... 4
  3. Summer Programs ...... 5
  4. Equitable Access ...... 6

III.Overview of theApplication Process ...... 6

IV.Eligibility Requirements ...... 9

  1. Eligibility ...... 9
  2. Good Standing ...... 10
  3. Voluntary or Involuntary Grant Reductions...... 11
  4. Federal Debarment...... 12
  5. Required Signatures and Assurances ...... 12

F.Disqualifications ...... 12

  1. Application Disqualifications ...... 12
  2. Individual School Site Disqualifications...... 13

V.Application and Program Requirements ...... 14

  1. Application Narrative ...... 14
  2. Authorized Activities ...... 16
  3. Equitable Access Narrative (if applicable) ...... 18
  4. Allowable and Nonallowable Expenditures ...... 18
  5. Budget ...... 18
  6. Payment Schedule...... 18
  7. Free and Reduced-Price Meals ...... 19
  8. Estimating a Free and Reduced-Price Meals Percentage for a

NewSchool without Free and Reduced-Price Meals Program Data .....20

  1. Consultation with Private Schools ...... 20
  2. Measures of ProgramEffectiveness ...... 21
  3. Evaluation Requirements ...... 21

VI.Application Reviewers and Quality Designation...... 23

  1. Application Reviewers ...... 23
  2. Questions to Be Answered by Applicants ...... 23
  3. Quality Designation...... 23

VII.Funding Priority...... 24

VIII.Geographic Funding Distribution...... 26

IX.Appeals ...... 27

  1. Letter of Appeal ...... 27
  2. Hearing ...... 28
  3. Decision...... 29

X.Application Checklist ...... 29

Attachments

Attachment 1: Elementary and Middle School Application Questions...... 32

Attachment 2: Rubric for Application Narrative...... 45

Attachment 3: Elementary and Middle School Equitable Access Application Questions 46

Attachment 4: Rubric for Equitable Access Application Narrative ...... 47

Attachment 5: Key Terms ...... 49

1

21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

Request for Applications

2018–19

I.Critical Dates for the Application Process

Dates / Critical Events
November 2017 /
  • RFA and supporting documents are posted on the California Department of Education (CDE)Funding and Fiscal Management Web pageat

December 2017 /
  • CDEWebinar to address grant application questions
  • FAAST System Webinar conducted by State Water Resources Control Board

Friday, January 26, 2018 /
  • Submission deadline for the ASSIST-generated formsin hard copy to the CDE by 5p.m. No postmarks will be accepted,and
  • Submission deadline for FAAST application narratives uploaded and submitted as Final into FAAST by 5 p.m. No late submissions will be accepted into the online system.

January 2018–February 2018 /
  • Notification of ASSIST application forms and FAAST narrative disqualifications

January2018 /
  • Training for qualifiedreviewers
  • Assignment of applications to qualified reviewers

January 2018–
March 2018 /
  • Application reviewers read and determine a quality designation for the application narratives.

1

21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

Request for Applications

2018–19

Dates / Critical Events
March 2018 /
  • Funding Priority–TheCDE applies funding priority to applications describing quality programs.

April 2018 /
  • Intent to Award announcement is the initial posting of grant awards. This notification is not the final list of grantees. The final funding list will be posted on the CDE Web site when all data are verified and appeals are decided.

May 2018 /
  • Final funding list will be posted on the CDE Web site.

  1. Purpose and Description of the Program
  1. Background

The 21stCCLC Program, authorized under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), received its first appropriation in 1994. The 21stCCLC Program funding supports the development of community learning centers established by eligible entities with the assistance of community partners.

Federal and state laws guide the implementation of the 21st CCLC Program. In 2015,ESEAwas reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). This new legislationexpands state and local accountability for student academic achievement as well as overall success, and emphasizes the importance of adopting research- or evidence-based practices.

  1. Purpose

The purpose of the 21stCCLC Program is to support the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during nonschool hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The 21st CCLC Program helps students meet state and local academic standards in core subjects, such as reading and math; offers students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement the regular academic program; and offers educational services to the families of participating children.

  1. Funding

An estimated $15 million in funding has been allocated for 21st CCLC programsproposing to serve elementary and middle/junior high school studentsin kindergarten to ninth grade(Cohort 11), starting in state fiscal 2018–19. Applicants awarded a 21st CCLC grant will receive a five-year grant, subject to semiannual attendance and other reporting requirements. Grant awards are contingentupon the availability of 21stCCLC Program federal funds authorized in the California State Budget.

In the most recent funding cycle, fiscal year 2017–18 (Cohort 10), applicants requested over $118 million in 21stCCLC program funding,andapproximately $21 million was awarded. Of the 104applications submitted, 31 applications were funded. Eighteen percent of the total funds requested were awarded, which indicates the highly competitive nature of the process.

The CDE will not provide funding to serve more students than are enrolled at a school site. Public school enrollment numbers will be verified by using the school certified enrollment data submitted to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) for fiscal year 2016–17. Enrollment for private schools will be verified by using the Private School Directory. Please visit the CDE Private Schools Web page at

The Program Improvement (PI) status for fiscal year 2016–17 used in this grant eligibility process will be the most current version available as of Friday, January 26, 2018. Please visit the CDE Program Improvement Data Files Web page at

  1. Program Typesand Funding

There are four program types for which 21stCCLC funding can be used: BeforeSchool Programs, AfterSchool Programs, Summer Programs (including beforeschool summer and afterschool summer), and Equitable Access.

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21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

Request for Applications

2018–19

  1. BeforeSchool Programs

The 21stCCLC beforeschool grants are provided for program operation during the regular school year, typically 180 days(California Education Code[EC] Section 8483.75). Funding for beforeschool programs is as follows: $5 per participating student per regular school day, up to a maximum of $37,500 per year for elementary school students served; and $49,000 per year for middle and junior high school students served. For larger-than-average-size schools, these amounts may be increased up to twice these limits, using the large-school adjustment formula below.

  • For elementary schools, multiply $75 by the number of pupils enrolled at a school that exceeds 600, up to a maximum of $75,000 per year.
  • For middle/junior high schools, multiply $75 by the number of pupils enrolled at a school that exceeds 900, up to a maximum of $98,000 per year.

2.AfterSchool Programs

The 21st CCLC afterschool grants are provided for program operation during the regular school year, typically 180 days (EC Section 8483.7).The minimum grant amount for 21st CCLC programs per school site is $50,000,including any Equitable Access funds awarded (EC Section 8484.8[f]). The CDE will provide afterschool funding under a 21st CCLC Program grant for afterschool programs by using the following formula: $7.50 per participating student per regular school day, up to a maximum of $112,500 per year for elementary school students served; and $150,000 per year for middle/junior high school students served. For larger-than-average-size schools these amounts may be increased up to twice these limits by using the large-school adjustment formula below.

  • For elementary schools, multiply $113 by the number of pupils enrolled at a school that exceeds 600 up to a maximum of $225,000 per year.
  • For middle/junior high schools, multiply $113 by the number of pupils enrolled at a school that exceeds 900 up to a maximum of $300,000 per year.
  1. Summer Programs

Summer programs may operate any time in excess of 180 regular schooldays orduring any combination of summer, intersession, or vacation periods (ECSection 8483.76[a]). All applicants requesting funding for a summer program must also request funding for a before or afterschool base program in this application, or request a summer program for a site (either AfterSchool Education and Safety [ASES], or 21stCCLC) with an existing before or afterschool base program.An afterschool summer program must have an afterschool base grant at the site. Likewise, a beforeschool summer program must have a beforeschool base grant at the site.

Funding priority in this RFA shall be given to grant applications that will propose to offer year-round expanded learning programming, including programs that complement existing funded programs. Year-round expanded learning programs are defined as:

  • Programs thatpropose to provide any combination of year-round programming.
  • Programs that propose to offer summer programming to complement existing afterschool programs.
  • Programs that propose to offer afterschool programs to complement existing funded summer programs.

An applicant that offers summer programming to complement existing ASES or 21st CCLC funded afterschoolprograms is not required to be the same entity that operates the existing program, but must identify the grantee with whom it is coordinating for the purpose of providing year-round programming (EC Section 8484.8[e][3]).Summer grants may not exceed 30 percent of a school’s total annual grant amount.

  • Funding for beforeschool summer programs is $5.00 per participating student per regular school day.
  • Funding for afterschool summer programs is $7.50 per participating student per regular school day.

An existing afterschool summer grantee may operate a three-or six-hour per day program (EC Section 8483.76[b]). The six-hour per day program is funded at a reimbursement rate of $15 per student per day. The minimum funding for an afterschool summer program is $8,100; however, there is no minimum funding for a beforeschool summer program. A summer grantee that operates a program may open eligibility to every pupil attending a school in the school district. Priority for enrollment shall be given to the pupils enrolled in the school that receives the grant (EC Section 8483.76[d]).

  1. Equitable Access

TheEquitable Access fundsare optional and are intended to supplement theafterschool program grant to help local programs provide access to 21st CCLC programs and participation in community learning center programs according to needs determined by the local community (EC Section 8484.8[b][1]). Funding for Equitable Accessis available for up to $25,000 per school site per year, based on the specific needs of each site(s) for the facilitation of Equitable Access to 21st CCLC programs. Only those eligible sitesfunded with a 21st CCLC afterschoolbase grant through this RFA process will be considered for this funding.

  1. Overview of the Application Process

The table below provides a general overview of the application process. Detailed information can be found later in the RFA.

Download of After School Support and Information System(ASSIST) Forms and Upload of Financial Assistance Application Submittal Tool(FAAST) Narrative
  • The 21st CCLC application forms are generated and printed through the ASSIST database by the applicant.
  • The printed hard copy of the required ASSIST application forms,complete with required Authorized Signatures,is submitted by the applicant to the CDE no later than Friday, January 26, 2018, at 5 p.m., or they will be disqualified. Postmarks will not be accepted.Applications that are sent by guaranteed, overnight, priority mail, or other means must include verifiable documentation from the delivery service assuring delivery date by the due date and time.
  • Applicants input their ASSIST-generated application identification numbers and application narratives into the separate online grant application system, the FAAST. Application narratives must be uploaded in FAAST and must reflect that they are Submitted as Final no later than Friday, January 26, 2018,at 5 p.m., or they will be disqualified.
  • Applications are screened fordisqualified items by the CDE:
  • Qualified applications will move forward in the process.
  • Disqualified applications will not move forward in the review process and will not be read. A disqualification letter will be sent to applicants prior to the quality designation review.

Application Review and Evaluation
  • Qualified reviewers will read and determine a quality designation forapplication narratives in FAAST (see Attachment 1, Elementary and Middle School Application Questions):
  • Application narratives describing quality programs will move forward in the review process forFunding Priority determination.
  • Applications that do not describe quality programswill not move forward in the review process for Funding Priority determination.Applicants will be notified in writing of the quality designations for each element of the rubric.Priorities will not be applied to those applications not moving forward in the process.
  • All school sites within the grant application will receive the same Quality Designationsfor each section of the rubric (see Attachment2, Rubric for Application Narrative).

Funding Priority
  • Funding priority isdetermined by individual school site(no longer by application) in the following order:
  • School sites with sixpriority items receivefirst priority for funding
  • School sites with fivepriority items receive second priority for funding
  • School sites with four priority items receive third priority for funding
  • School sites with three priority items receive fourth priority for funding
  • School sites with two priority items receive fifth priority for funding
  • School sites with one priority item receive sixth priority for funding
  • School sites with zero priority items receive last priority for funding
  • Funding priority begins with school sites with six priorityitems and continues as far down into subsequent prioritygroups as funding is available (see Section VII. Funding Priority in this RFA).
  • Priority groupings in which there are more school sites than funding is available in the geographic funding distribution categories (see below)will be ordered and fundedfrom highest to lowest Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FRPM)percentage. In the case of a tie, FRPM percentage between school sites and the overallquality designationof application narratives as determined by readers will be used as a tiebreaker.
  • School sites requesting Equitable Accessfunding will be considered only if their 21st CCLC afterschool base grant has been funded and their Equitable Access application describesa quality program (see Section VII. Funding Priority in this RFA).

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21st Century Community Learning Centers Program

Request for Applications

2018–19

Geographic Funding Distribution
  • School sites within an application will be assigned to one of six geographic fundingcategories (northern-rural, central-rural, southern-rural, northern-urban, central-urban, and southern-urban) and be ordered for each individual school site based on funding priority first, then FRPM percentage (see Section VIII. Geographic Funding Distribution in this RFA).

  1. Eligibility Requirements

Applicants are strongly encouraged to read this entire 21stCCLC RFA and consider all requirements for eligibility, disqualifications, funding priority, and geographic distribution categories prior to submitting an application.

  1. Eligibility

New applicants must meet the requirements of 20 United States Code (U.S.C.) §7173(a)(3), which states:

A.The CDE will award eligible entities that serve:

i. Students who primarily attend:

(I)Schools implementing comprehensive support and improvement activities or targeted support and improvement activities under section 6311(d) of this title; and

(II)Other schools determined by the local educational agency to be in need of intervention and support; and

ii. The families of such students; and

B.Will further give priority to eligible entities that propose in the application to serve students described in sub-clauses (I) and (II) of section 7174(i)(1)(A)(i) of this title.

Current 21st CCLC granteesmay also apply if they meet one of the following conditions:

  • They are applying for funding at additional school sites (that are

eligible according to the requirements stated above), or

  • They are proposing to increase their current school site funding to the legislative cap.

An “eligible entity”refers to anLocal Educational Agency (LEA), community-based organization (CBO), Indian tribe or tribal organization (25 U.S.C.A.Section 5130), another public or private entity, or a consortium of two or more such agencies, organizations, or entities (20 U.S.C. Section 7171[b][3]). Examples of entities eligible to apply for 21st CCLC funds include:

  • LEAs, including school districts and county offices of education, and direct funded charter schools
  • Private schools, provided that they serve public school students
  • Nonprofit agencies
  • Public entities, city and county government agencies, organizations, or other private entities
  • Institutions of higher education
  • Native American tribe or tribal organizations
  • CBOs
  • For-profit corporations
  • Consortia of two or more of the above agencies, organizations, or other entities

A grant application may propose to serve more than one school site; however, a school site may be included in only one application. If a school site is included in multiple applications by error,the CDE will contact the school site/school principal, and will select the appropriate application based on the school site/school site principal’s designation.