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

EXTERNAL RESOURCE LIBRARY

Here you’ll find free resources from government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and others in the field, curated by our team with 21st CCLC professionals in mind. The external resource library includes videos, web pages, publications, and more to help you learn about and implement evidence-based strategies and best practices. All were screened for their relevance to out-of-school time, and many are specific to 21st CCLC programs.

Featured External Resources

Looking for a resource in one of these 21st CCLC NTAC priority areas? Select each link to see a highlighted resource in that area.
Note: Selecting a link will take you to an external website.

Use the filters to narrow your search

External Resource Library

Promoting Healthy Behaviors: Out-of-School Time

This webpage describes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's  Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child approach in out-of-school time (OST) and includes links to numerous resources OST programs can use to support healthy behaviors.

  • Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies
Ready to Implement Toolkit

This toolkit includes a readiness assessment and automatic reporting so that out-of-school time programs can use their own data to develop their readiness to implement a program or practice. It also includes a readiness resource library.   

  • Source: American Institutes for Research
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Leadership and Management Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
R.E.A.L. Framework for Summer Programs

This framework can be used to help communicate to students and families about the benefits of attending summer programs (e.g., to build routines, increase engagement, provide access to resources, and support learning).

  • Source: Attendance Works
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • Year: 2022
Rural Afterschool Programs: Meeting the Challenge

This recorded webinar discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in rural afterschool and summer learning programs.

  • Source: Temescal Associates, How Kids Learn Foundation
  • Resource Type: Best Practices
  • Year: 2023
Site Visit Checklist

This comprehensive site visit checklist can help sites prepare for, implement, and follow up on site visits from stakeholders.

  • Source: Sperling Center for Research and Innovation
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Leadership and Management Practices
  • Year: 2021
Supporting Academic Learning and Development Through Evidence-Based Practices: Building and Using Evidence in Summer, Afterschool, and Other Out-of-School Time Settings

This webpage is formatted as a five-step checklist with links to resources for designing and implementing out-of-school time programs that support students' academic learning and development.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
Take Action Toolkit

This toolkit includes links to Federal resources that support adolescent health and well-being, encourages making local connections, and provides processes and tools to help programs accomplish a "triple dividend" — health for adolescents now, setting them up for healthy adult lives, and ensuring better health for the next generation. 

  • Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Population Affairs
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies
  • Year: 2023
Summer Learning Toolkit

This toolkit includes more than 50 tools and samples used by five urban districts and their partners to plan summer learning. Each tool includes guidance on why it's important and tips for effective use.

  • Source: The Wallace Foundation
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • Year: 2018
Trauma and Trauma-Informed Schools for Students

This webpage includes a searchable database of activities and practices that can support student' and staff members' well-being. 

  • Source: UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Research
Violence Prevention: Resources for Action

This collection of evidence-based violence prevention resources is intended for anyone involved in planning, implementing, or evaluating violence prevention efforts. Topics include adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, suicide, and youth violence.

  • Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Leadership and Management Practices, Research
What Can Young People Teach Us About Out-of-School Time?

This three-part podcast series shares findings from a student-led study on improving out-of-school time programs. Topics include making programs accessible, creating a sense of belonging, and welcoming and supporting youth workers.

  • Source: The Wallace Foundation
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
Youth Service Knowledge Center

This webpage provides access to the Youth Changing the World Toolkit and other resources to help students develop and engage in service-learning students.

  • Source: Youth Service America
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Implementation Strategies, Leadership and Management Practices
Promoting Healthy Behaviors: Out-of-School Time

This webpage describes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's  Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child approach in out-of-school time (OST) and includes links to numerous resources OST programs can use to support healthy behaviors.

  • Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies
Ready to Implement Toolkit

This toolkit includes a readiness assessment and automatic reporting so that out-of-school time programs can use their own data to develop their readiness to implement a program or practice. It also includes a readiness resource library.   

  • Source: American Institutes for Research
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Leadership and Management Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
R.E.A.L. Framework for Summer Programs

This framework can be used to help communicate to students and families about the benefits of attending summer programs (e.g., to build routines, increase engagement, provide access to resources, and support learning).

  • Source: Attendance Works
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • Year: 2022
Rural Afterschool Programs: Meeting the Challenge

This recorded webinar discusses the unique challenges and opportunities in rural afterschool and summer learning programs.

  • Source: Temescal Associates, How Kids Learn Foundation
  • Resource Type: Best Practices
  • Year: 2023
Site Visit Checklist

This comprehensive site visit checklist can help sites prepare for, implement, and follow up on site visits from stakeholders.

  • Source: Sperling Center for Research and Innovation
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Leadership and Management Practices
  • Year: 2021
Supporting Academic Learning and Development Through Evidence-Based Practices: Building and Using Evidence in Summer, Afterschool, and Other Out-of-School Time Settings

This webpage is formatted as a five-step checklist with links to resources for designing and implementing out-of-school time programs that support students' academic learning and development.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
Take Action Toolkit

This toolkit includes links to Federal resources that support adolescent health and well-being, encourages making local connections, and provides processes and tools to help programs accomplish a "triple dividend" — health for adolescents now, setting them up for healthy adult lives, and ensuring better health for the next generation. 

  • Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Population Affairs
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies
  • Year: 2023
Summer Learning Toolkit

This toolkit includes more than 50 tools and samples used by five urban districts and their partners to plan summer learning. Each tool includes guidance on why it's important and tips for effective use.

  • Source: The Wallace Foundation
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • Year: 2018
Trauma and Trauma-Informed Schools for Students

This webpage includes a searchable database of activities and practices that can support student' and staff members' well-being. 

  • Source: UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Research
Violence Prevention: Resources for Action

This collection of evidence-based violence prevention resources is intended for anyone involved in planning, implementing, or evaluating violence prevention efforts. Topics include adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), child abuse and neglect, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, suicide, and youth violence.

  • Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Leadership and Management Practices, Research
What Can Young People Teach Us About Out-of-School Time?

This three-part podcast series shares findings from a student-led study on improving out-of-school time programs. Topics include making programs accessible, creating a sense of belonging, and welcoming and supporting youth workers.

  • Source: The Wallace Foundation
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
Youth Service Knowledge Center

This webpage provides access to the Youth Changing the World Toolkit and other resources to help students develop and engage in service-learning students.

  • Source: Youth Service America
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Implementation Strategies, Leadership and Management Practices
Back to Top

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. under Cooperative Agreement No. 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. La' Shawndra Scroggins and Ms. Andrea Jackson.