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

Executive Functions, Part 1: Understanding Why Some Students Struggle

This 1-hour online module explores executive functions and explains why many students struggle with cognitive processes related to learning. It then examines why it's critical for teachers to explicitly teach these students when, where, and how to use effective study strategies.

  • Source: IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Research
  • Year: 2022
Executive Functions, Part 2: Strategies to Improve Students’ Academic Performance

This 2.5-hour module is a companion to the Executive Functions Part 1 module. It includes strategies that can help students who have difficulty with executive functions like time management and focus. These strategies include graphic organizers, notetaking, mnemonics, organization of materials, time management, comprehension strategies, and self-regulation strategies.

  • Source: IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Research
  • Year: 2022
Faith-Based and Other Neighborhood Organizations

This web page is for faith-based and other neighborhood organization grantees, subgrantees, and contractors that provide program services to beneficiaries under a grant or subgrant. The stated purpose for the page is to provide a clear and uniform understanding of the fundamental principles that apply to award recipients, along with guidance and regulations for implementing their awards.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type: Policy/Guidance Documents
  • Year: 2024
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)

This web page describes the GEAR UP descretionary grant program, which may be of intersest to out-of-school time programs focusing on career prep. GEAR UP provides grants to States and partnerships seeking to prepare low-income middle and high schools to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type: Leadership and Management Practices
  • Year: 2024
Healthier Generation Out-of-School Time Initiative

This web page provides access to the Healthier Generation Assessment for Out-of-School Time (OST) and other tools to help OST programs plan and implement best practices to create a healthier OST environment for students.

  • Source: Healthier Generation
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
High-Impact Tutoring: Out-of-School Time Playbook

This playbook provides information and tools to support out-of-school time providers and support networks interested in expanding or beginning to offer high-impact tutoring programs. 

  • Source: National Student Support Accelerator (a program of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning and EdSolutions at Stanford University)
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies
  • Year: 2023
High-Leverage Practices for Students With Disabilities

This guidance document and supplemental resources present research-based methods and best practices to maximize instruction for students with disabilities.

  • Source: University of Florida CEEDAR Center
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Research
  • Year: 2024
Investigating the relationship between pre-pandemic family engagement and student and school outcomes

This Illinois study has broad implications for the positive correlation between relationships with families and student attendance and engagement when there are school disruptions. OST programs could use these findings to advocate for increasing their family engagement activities or to create buy-in for these activities with partners.

  • Source: Learning Heroes and TNTP
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Leadership and Management Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities

This report includes insights about afterschool programs, trends, and recommendations for school districts, OST providers, advocates, and policymakers.

  • Source: Afterschool Alliance
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Leadership and Management Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
Marketing Afterschool

This web page provides suggestions and examples to help you publicize your out-of-school time program to increase visibility, encourage attendance and engagement, celebrate successes, and "tell your story" to stakeholders. 

  • Source: Afterschool Alliance
  • Resource Type: Innovation and Best Practices, Leadership and Management Practices
Medicaid Funding for School-Based Services

This resource provides strategies program leaders can use to support the well-being of their staff. 

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Leadership and Management Practices
  • Year: 2022
MyMoney Resources for Teachers and Educators

This section of the MyMoney website offers resources for building financial literacy among students and their family members.

  • Source: Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies
Executive Functions, Part 1: Understanding Why Some Students Struggle

This 1-hour online module explores executive functions and explains why many students struggle with cognitive processes related to learning. It then examines why it's critical for teachers to explicitly teach these students when, where, and how to use effective study strategies.

  • Source: IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Research
  • Year: 2022
Executive Functions, Part 2: Strategies to Improve Students’ Academic Performance

This 2.5-hour module is a companion to the Executive Functions Part 1 module. It includes strategies that can help students who have difficulty with executive functions like time management and focus. These strategies include graphic organizers, notetaking, mnemonics, organization of materials, time management, comprehension strategies, and self-regulation strategies.

  • Source: IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University's Peabody College
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Research
  • Year: 2022
Faith-Based and Other Neighborhood Organizations

This web page is for faith-based and other neighborhood organization grantees, subgrantees, and contractors that provide program services to beneficiaries under a grant or subgrant. The stated purpose for the page is to provide a clear and uniform understanding of the fundamental principles that apply to award recipients, along with guidance and regulations for implementing their awards.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type: Policy/Guidance Documents
  • Year: 2024
Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)

This web page describes the GEAR UP descretionary grant program, which may be of intersest to out-of-school time programs focusing on career prep. GEAR UP provides grants to States and partnerships seeking to prepare low-income middle and high schools to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type: Leadership and Management Practices
  • Year: 2024
Healthier Generation Out-of-School Time Initiative

This web page provides access to the Healthier Generation Assessment for Out-of-School Time (OST) and other tools to help OST programs plan and implement best practices to create a healthier OST environment for students.

  • Source: Healthier Generation
  • Resource Type: Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
High-Impact Tutoring: Out-of-School Time Playbook

This playbook provides information and tools to support out-of-school time providers and support networks interested in expanding or beginning to offer high-impact tutoring programs. 

  • Source: National Student Support Accelerator (a program of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning and EdSolutions at Stanford University)
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies
  • Year: 2023
High-Leverage Practices for Students With Disabilities

This guidance document and supplemental resources present research-based methods and best practices to maximize instruction for students with disabilities.

  • Source: University of Florida CEEDAR Center
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Research
  • Year: 2024
Investigating the relationship between pre-pandemic family engagement and student and school outcomes

This Illinois study has broad implications for the positive correlation between relationships with families and student attendance and engagement when there are school disruptions. OST programs could use these findings to advocate for increasing their family engagement activities or to create buy-in for these activities with partners.

  • Source: Learning Heroes and TNTP
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Implementation Strategies, Leadership and Management Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities

This report includes insights about afterschool programs, trends, and recommendations for school districts, OST providers, advocates, and policymakers.

  • Source: Afterschool Alliance
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Leadership and Management Practices, Research
  • Year: 2023
Marketing Afterschool

This web page provides suggestions and examples to help you publicize your out-of-school time program to increase visibility, encourage attendance and engagement, celebrate successes, and "tell your story" to stakeholders. 

  • Source: Afterschool Alliance
  • Resource Type: Innovation and Best Practices, Leadership and Management Practices
Medicaid Funding for School-Based Services

This resource provides strategies program leaders can use to support the well-being of their staff. 

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Leadership and Management Practices
  • Year: 2022
MyMoney Resources for Teachers and Educators

This section of the MyMoney website offers resources for building financial literacy among students and their family members.

  • Source: Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies
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. 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. La' Shawndra Scroggins and Ms. Andrea Jackson.

Who We Are

Our Resources

News

© 2025. All Rights Reserved.

Terms of Use