21st CCLC Century Community Learning Centers NTAC National Technical Assistance Center - Frequently Asked Questions

ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) is the premier place for out-of-school time professionals to learn, collect resources, and engage with peers and experts. We are funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and the center’s primary goal is to support the professionals who operate Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC programs across the nation. Our goal is to help build capacity and empower out-of-school time (OST) professionals in their educational journey toward learning and continuous growth. Specifically, the 21st CCLC NTAC is here to support State educational agencies (SEAs) and their subgrantees who operate 21st CCLC programs.

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) builds capacity in Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC programs by:

  • Providing training and technical assistance to 21st CCLC professionals
  • Providing resources grounded in best practices and evidence-based strategies
  • Promoting every student’s access to educational resources and opportunities
  • Meeting students’ academic and non-academic needs
  • Connecting 21st CCLC program leaders and staff to colleagues across the nation
  • Fostering collaboration and connection between the 21st CCLC program and other federal and nonfederal partners 
     

Synergy Enterprises, Inc. (www.seiservices.com) was awarded the 21st CCLC NTAC grant and, along with our partners at Abt Global and Foundations, Inc., we work closely with the U.S. Department of Education in a cooperative agreement to operate the activities of the 21st CCLC NTAC.

All of the resources and courses available on the 21st CCLC NTAC website will be free, including any universal TA events such as webinars, and will be available for everyone to access.

However, the TA services are for 21st CCLC grantees only. This includes targeted TA events (virtual trainings, on-site trainings, coaching) and intensive TA. These TA services may be requested by the 21st CCLC SEA Coordinator.

Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC programs provide academic enrichment opportunities for students attending high-poverty, low-performing schools during nonschool hours. Each State, the Bureau of Indian Education, and outlying areas receive (formula) funding from the U.S. Department of Education annually, and each administers the grant funds through a competitive award process. The funding amount and competitive award process varies. Visit the 21st CCLC website for more information on funding allocations, and visit your SEA’s website for more information on the award process.

If you already have an account: Select the Login button at the top right of the screen. Enter your username and password, and select Login. Can’t remember your password? Select Forgot Password to reset it.

If you don’t have an account: Select the Create Account button, enter the requested information, and select Create New Account. An email will be sent to you to verify your email address. If you don’t get it within five minutes, check your Spam folder.

Once logged into the site (https://www.21stcclcntac.org), select Professional Learning Portal, then Learning Management System. When logged in, you should see your initials in the upper right corner of the screen.

  • LMS Home – shows the featured courses, mini-courses, and microlearning.
  • All Courses – displays all of the e-learning that’s offered.
  • My Courses – lists all of the courses and other e-learning which you’re currently enrolled.
  • My Dashboard – shows your activity on the site, including Total Courses Enrolled, Courses Completed, Lessons Completed, Time Spent Learning, and more!
  • My Certificates – displays all earned certificates.

Yes. The 21st CCLC NTAC site will have courses where you can earn a certificate upon completion of the course.

The Knowledge Network provides a virtual hangout where 21st CCLC grantees and subgrantees can network, swap ideas, and discuss what matters.

To access the Knowledge Network, once you have logged into the website, select Professional Learning Portal, then Knowledge Network. Use the menu on the left to explore the community feed, topics, announcements, and so forth. Use the icons at the top right to update your profile and to see your notifications, groups, in box, and more.

Yes, the 21st CCLC NTAC has a Technical Assistance Advisory Committee (TAAC) made up of SEA Coordinators, 21st CCLC subgrantees, and subject matter experts in the OST field. Members serve for up to two years, and there are four TAAC meetings per year.

If you would like to be considered to become a member of the 21st CCLC NTAC TAAC, please email us at info@21stcclcntac.org.

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  • What is the 21st CCLC NTAC?

    The 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC) is the premier place for out-of-school time professionals to learn, collect resources, and engage with peers and experts. We are funded by the U.S. Department of Education, and the center’s primary goal is to support the professionals who operate Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC programs across the nation. Our goal is to help build capacity and empower out-of-school time (OST) professionals in their educational journey toward learning and continuous growth. Specifically, the 21st CCLC NTAC is here to support State educational agencies (SEAs) and their subgrantees who operate 21st CCLC programs.

  • What are the 21st CCLC NTAC’s priorities?

    The absolute priority for the 21st CCLC NTAC is to build the capacity of 21st CCLC grantees and subgrantees to provide effective OST opportunities that have the biggest possible positive impact in students’ lives.

    The center’s additional priorities include:

    • Addressing the impact of COVID–19 on students, educators, and faculty
    • Promoting equity in student access to educational resources and opportunities
    • Meeting student social, emotional, and academic needs
    • Providing resources and activities that focus on:
      • Students’ academic and mental health needs and alignment with the traditional school day (e.g., literacy, math, overall well-being)
      • Academic recovery
      • Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities
      • Providing 21st CCLC programming in rural areas
      • Improving attendance and student engagement of middle and high school students
      • Reengagement of disengaged youth
      • Implementation and evaluation of 21st CCLC programs
      • Supporting multilingual learners
      • Financial literacy
      • Career pathways for students
      • Other priority areas identified by the center and the Department
    • Providing support for 21st CCLC statutory and programmatic requirements
    • Providing support for fiscal compliance of all SEAs and subgrantees

  • Who is the team who operates the 21st CCLC NTAC?

    Synergy Enterprises, Inc. (www.seiservices.com) was awarded the 21st CCLC NTAC grant and, along with our partners at Abt Global and Foundations, Inc., we work closely with the U.S. Department of Education in a cooperative agreement to operate the activities of the 21st CCLC NTAC.

  • Am I eligible for free resources or technical assistance (TA) services if I’m not a 21st CCLC subgrantee?

    All of the resources and courses available on the 21st CCLC NTAC website will be free, including any universal TA events such as webinars, and will be available for everyone to access.

    However, the TA services are for 21st CCLC grantees only. This includes targeted TA events (virtual trainings, on-site trainings, coaching) and intensive TA. These TA services may be requested by the 21st CCLC SEA Coordinator.

  • What are 21st CCLC programs, and how can I become a 21st CCLC grantee?

    Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC programs provide academic enrichment opportunities for students attending high-poverty, low-performing schools during nonschool hours. Each State, the Bureau of Indian Education, and outlying areas receive (formula) funding from the U.S. Department of Education annually, and each administers the grant funds through a competitive award process. The funding amount and competitive award process varies. Visit the 21st CCLC website for more information on funding allocations, and visit your SEA’s website for more information on the award process.

  • When will I be able to access resources and other universal events on your website? When will the website be ready?

    The first phase of the website will launch in March. It will include some resources such as 21stCCLC NTAC courses and tools as well as a library of curated external resources. Phase two of the website will include a learning management system (LMS).

    The full release of the website and the LMS will take place during the 2024 21st CCLC Summer Symposium in San Francisco in July/August, and it will include many additional resources.

  • When will I be able to access the Learning Management System on the website?

    We are currently conducting a soft launch of the Learning Management System (LMS). A soft launch is when users are gradually invited into the Learning Management System and provide feedback so that we can improve as we go. The LMS will be the place for courses, mini-courses, microlearning, and toolkits, a true repository to help build capacity of any 21st CCLC Program.

    ​The LMS will be available to everyone in early 2025.

  • Will I get to take courses for certificates?

    Yes. The 21st CCLC NTAC will have courses where you can earn a certificate upon completion of the course. 

  • Do you have an advisory committee or working group? If so, how can I become a member?

    Yes, the 21st CCLC NTAC has a Technical Assistance Advisory Committee (TAAC) made up of SEA Coordinators, 21st CCLC subgrantees, and subject matter experts in the OST field. Members serve for up to two years, and there are four TAAC meetings per year.

    If you would like to be considered to become a member of the 21st CCLC NTAC TAAC, please email us at info@21stcclcntac.org.

  • How do I learn more about the 21st CCLC NTAC and updates? 

    Scan the QR codes below to sign up for the newsletter or to follow us on social media.

    21st CCLC NTAC Newsletter QR code

    Monthly Newsletter

    21st CCLC NTAC LinkedIn QR code

    Follow us on LinkedIn
    21st CCLC National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC)
     

    Third, we will have a section on the home page of our website that provides updates and progress leading up to the 21st CCLC Summer Symposium!

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This resource was developed by the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) National Technical Assistance Center (NTAC),funded under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education (Department) and administered by Synergy Enterprises, Inc. underCooperativeAgreementNo. 287E230009 with the Department’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or policy of the Department, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the Department or the federal government. The 21st CCLC NTAC project officers are Dr. Janell Wood and Ms.Andrea Jackson.

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