21stCCLC Program Resources

We have identified resources that are available on-line that may be of assistance to you as you plan your after-school program. Each topic below is linked to specific resources.

General Information

• 21st CCLCs on the US Department of Education Website
• New York State Network for Youth Success
  • Useful Websites
• National Afterschool Association

Partnerships

Whether called collaboration or cooperation or partnership or connection, virtually all successful ventures to improve the quality of programs for kids and their families involve collections of individuals and groups that agree to set aside differences to find common ground.  It is this common ground which forms the foundation of successful collaborations.

National PTA

Evaluation

Gone are the days when programs could be implemented on the basis of good will and an intuitive sense that they would do good things. Funding is attached to the demonstration of effectiveness which in turn supports continued and enhanced funding.

• New York State Network for Youth Success Quality Self-Assessment Tool - This self-assessment tool provides an opportunity for program leaders and key staff, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to utilize a common set of standards to assess, plan, design and execute strategies for ongoing program improvement. 
• Principles of Effectiveness - the foundation for all funded programs 
• Global Family Research Project - information about evaluation work of both large and small out-of-school time programs and initiatives.  

Family Literacy & Engagement

Family literacy is an intergenerational effort to enhance the educational opportunities of all family members. Family literacy supports parents as the first teachers of their children. For adults, the positive effect that they have on their children’s education motivates them to strengthen their own literacy skills. Family literacy can be an effective tool to ensure that children develop the literacy skills they need to succeed.

• Parents' Guide To Student Success - developed by the National Parent Teacher Association® (PTA)  in response to the Common Core Standards.
• New York's Student Achievement and Parental Engagement Briefing Paper (July 22, 2012)
• Engage NY
• National Center for Family Literacy: parents and children learning together

Fiscal

• Office of Grants Finance (Reports, Forms and Guidance)
• Semi-Annual Employee Cert Example
• Appropriate Use of Federal Funds to Pay for Food

Funding

The need for funds is self-evident. Sources are not. The following links offer some possibilities. 

• The After-School Alliance - Part of the goal of the After-School Alliance is to help local after-school programs expand their resources and increase their sustainability.  The resources offered here are intended to help by providing tools and tips on accessing funding and using communications to build support for programs among local residents, community groups, businesses and policymakers.
  • Funding and Sustainability
  • Funding and Sustainability Worksheet
• Postsecondary Access, Support, and Success - Our mission is to foster the development and implementation of collaborative partnerships among and between colleges, schools, community-based organizations, parents, students, business, industry and government to ensure that all students in New York State, especially those in programs administered by the New York State Education Department, have every opportunity to be successful learners in an environment that honors the uniqueness of each individual.
• Through these programs New York State provides programming and supportive services to at-risk youth in more than 500 elementary, middle and secondary schools and Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) throughout New York State.
• Collaborative relationships are developed with more than 80 institutions of Higher Education; 300 Community-Based Organizations; and hundreds of businesses and industries.

Nutrition Resources

Quality nutrition is linked to better performance - in school and in life. Nutrition is a function of both the presence of adequate appropriate food selections and the knowledge to make informed and healthy choices.
Here are some sources of both food and information which you may access to enhance your out of school program.

• Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) - NYS Department of Health
• Nutrition Programs - Information from USDA 
• Federal Nutrition Programs Food Research and Action Center (FRAC) - Food Research and Action Council (FRAC) 
• Hunger Solutions New York - a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to alleviating hunger

Program Planning

Planning with an eye to the future will offer huge dividends, producing a cohesive, effective program with the health and well-being of children and their families at the center.

• New York State Network for Youth Success Quality Self-Assessment Tool - This self-assessment tool provides an opportunity for program leaders and key staff, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to utilize a common set of standards to assess, plan, design and execute strategies for ongoing program improvement. 
• Social Emotional Learning: Essential for Learning, Essential for Life, Essential for New York
• NYS Community Schools Technical Assistance Centers
• You for Youth - A project of the U.S. Department of Education, You for Youth provides professional development opportunities, technical assistance, tools to assist in program development and improvement, and venues to connect and share resources with colleagues.
• Teaching in Remote/Hybrid Learning Environments (TRLE)
• Principles of Effectiveness

Environment and Climate

• NYS Office of Children and Family Services Regional Offices
• Dignity for All Students Act
• Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks and Guidance
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)
• NYSED’s Mental Health Education Guidance and Resources
• Mental Health Association in New York State, Inc. (MHANYS) School Mental Health Resource Training Center
• New York State Center for School Health
• New York State Center for School Safety
• NYSED: Quick Guide to Emergency Response Plans
• Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) TA Center
• Emergency Response Chart
• New York State Safe Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE)

Youth Development

Positive Youth Development: Helping kids develop the PERSONAL and SOCIAL skills to make it possible for them to overcome challenges and achieve the greatest success possible.

• National Clearinghouse on Families & Youth (NCFY) - an online database of youth-related publications and current youth initiatives. Includes free or low-cost publications and abstracts of research and informative documents.
• Youth Development Resource Manual - a companion to Promoting Positive Youth Development - provides information and tools for community partnerships working together to make youth development happen.