The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) recently announced 35 after-school programs that will receive approximately $19.8 million in grant funding. The grants are being administered as part of the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) initiative, funded through the federal Department of Education.
“The 21st Century Community Learning Center grants open a universe of opportunities for schools and community organizations that extend learning beyond the traditional classroom,” said Charlene M. Russell-Tucker, the state’s education commissioner.
The 35 recipients all provide programming to low-performing districts, with high student poverty rates. The purpose of the grants is to support after-school support programs that service the state’s most at-risk students, connecting them with “high-quality after-school initiatives that enhance student learning and provide critical resources to families and communities,” per CSDE. These programs will offer varying services such as academic support and tutoring, community service and cultural enrichment activities, and physical activity and familial education support.
“Whether it’s through STEM projects that spark curiosity, arts programs that nurture self-expression, or wellness initiatives that build resilience, these programs create safe, dynamic, and engaging environments where students can explore new ideas, receive academic support, and participate in enrichment activities that inspire lifelong learning,” said Russell-Tucker.
The grants are structured as three-year grants, meaning each year, $6,601,210 will be released and split among the 35 recipients. Some recipients are private foundations that provide after-school programming, while other grants are being provided to public school districts themselves to run programming, and many recipients will receive several, separate grants to provide programming to separate schools in their area.
The city whose programs will receive the most funding is Stamford, whose programs will receive four grants totaling $995,432 in annual funding. Hartford area programs will receive the second most in funding, receiving four grants for a total of $824,700. Tied for third are Bridgeport and Norwich; Bridgeport and Norwich programs will both receive three grants totaling $750,000.
The remaining cities whose programs received money are as follows; Norwalk (4 grants totaling $590,300), Bristol (3 grants; $410,590), Meriden (2 programs; $347,895), New London (1 program; $236,248), Manchester (1 program; $249,480), Waterbury (2 programs; $206,977), Bloomfield (1 program; $243,000),
A complete breakdown of the grants, showing the recipients, the cities and towns/schools which they serve, and the amount of funding each grant individually awards, can be found here.
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This is infuriating. I’m a hard working single mother whose town receives none of this funding. I have to pay $90/hour for ONE hour of math tutoring for my child while my tax dollars get redistributed to other families in other towns for after school care, tutoring and “cultural enrichment”. That is NOT what tax dollars should be used for. Taking money for taxes-Federal or state-from hardworking parents and redistributing them to others for special programs is not right and not what government was ever intended to do. This is nothing more than theft.