Parents' Corner

What to Know about the 21st Century Community Learning Center

Posted by Dave Smith on Wed, Feb 21, 2018 @ 06:03 AM

Horizon is proud to be a 21st Century Community Learning Center – and here is background information about what that means, along with success metrics that highlight why we’re proud to be part of this progressive educational endeavor.

The purpose of this program is to support community learning centers that offer opportunities for academic enrichment during non-school hours. The focus is on students who attend low-performing schools in high-poverty areas. The programs assist the children in meeting standards, both state and local, in core academics – such as math and reading – while also providing enrichment activities. Literacy programs are offered to families, along with other educational services. You can find significantly more information about the program at the U.S. Department of Education website.

21st Century Community Learning Center: Success!21st-century-community-learning-center.jpg

Students who regularly attend community learning centers that have been selected for the 21st Century program do significantly better in school. More specifically:

  • Nearly one in two students improved grades in math and language arts
  • Nearly two in three students improved class participation and homework completion
  • Nearly three in five students demonstrated improved class behavior

Children who participate in programs at a designated 21st Century Community Learning Center benefit from their exposure to a broad range of programs, activities and services, including youth development and service learning, health and nutrition education, physical fitness and wellness programs, drug and violence prevention education, counseling and more. They can participate in art and music programs as well as science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming.

They are prepared for the future through financial and environmental literacy programs, career readiness services, internship and apprentice opportunities and more. According to AfterschoolAlliance.org, children also benefit from “ties to in-demand industry sectors or occupations that are designed to reinforce and complement the academic program of participating students.”

How Your Child Can Benefit from a 21st Century Community Learning Center

Here’s what really matters: how the programs at a 21st Century Community Learning Center help your child. We’ve blogged about program benefits in the past, and here’s a summary of them. Programs are specifically designed to promote the desire to learn in students, and participants are given the opportunity to benefit from literally hundreds of engaging activities. They are provided assistance through direct instruction as well as through a curriculum powered by technology.

Through this approach, participating students can benefit from audio assistance; receive immediate feedback on their work; and then benefit from their ability to repeat instruction to solidify learning. The reality is that, during the typical school day, some children don’t have the opportunity to receive enough direct instruction employing technology. In the smaller setting of an afterschool program, though, one that’s part of the 21st Century Community Learning Center network, they do. And, since children learn through repetition, participating students benefit significantly from the ability to repeat concepts – something that can’t always happen in schools.

Horizon Education Centers are 21st Century partners in the following school districts: Elyria, Lorain, Midview and North Olmsted. You can find information about our afterschool programs, and then contact the center in your child’s school district so he or she can receive extended learning opportunities, homework help, tutoring and more.

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