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

Profile of Students With Disabilities in U.S. Public Schools During the 2020-21 School Year

The infographics in this data snapshot show the demographics and experiences of students with disabilities within U.S. public schools and school districts. This information may be useful to out-of-school time programs coordinating with the school day to serve students with disabilities. 

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Leadership and Management Practices, Policy/Guidance Documents, Research
  • Year: 2023
Promoting Healthy Behaviors: Out-of-School Time

This web page 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
Promoting Student Reengagement: High-Quality Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs

This information sheet, or excerpts, can be used by out-of-school time programs to help city leaders understand ways they can support local afterschool programs and potential benefits for students, families, and the community. Note: You must register to access this resource, but it's free.

  • Source: National League of Cities (NLC)
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Leadership and Management Practices
Provide Access to Resources

  • Source: ceedar
  • Resource Type:
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
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
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
Rural Education Programs

This two-page document describes and links to Department programs that provide funding opportunities, technical assistance, and other resources tailored to the rural context.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • 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
Spiking Demand, Growing Barriers: The Trends Shaping Afterschool and Summer Learning in Rural Communities

This fact sheet summarizes findings from the America After 3PM national survey about access to afterschool and summer programming in rural communities. 

  • Source: Afterschool Alliance
  • Resource Type: Leadership and Management Practices, Research
  • Year: 2021
Statutory and Programmatic

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type:
Structuring Out-of-School Time to Improve Academic Learning

This practice guide includes five recommendations to help district and school administrators and out-of-school program providers design out-of-school time programs that will increase learning for students. It describes the research supporting each recommendation, how to carry out each recommendation, and how to address implementation roadblocks that might arise.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • Year: 2009
Profile of Students With Disabilities in U.S. Public Schools During the 2020-21 School Year

The infographics in this data snapshot show the demographics and experiences of students with disabilities within U.S. public schools and school districts. This information may be useful to out-of-school time programs coordinating with the school day to serve students with disabilities. 

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Leadership and Management Practices, Policy/Guidance Documents, Research
  • Year: 2023
Promoting Healthy Behaviors: Out-of-School Time

This web page 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
Promoting Student Reengagement: High-Quality Afterschool and Summer Learning Programs

This information sheet, or excerpts, can be used by out-of-school time programs to help city leaders understand ways they can support local afterschool programs and potential benefits for students, families, and the community. Note: You must register to access this resource, but it's free.

  • Source: National League of Cities (NLC)
  • Resource Type: Best Practices, Evidence-Based Practices, Leadership and Management Practices
Provide Access to Resources

  • Source: ceedar
  • Resource Type:
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
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
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
Rural Education Programs

This two-page document describes and links to Department programs that provide funding opportunities, technical assistance, and other resources tailored to the rural context.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • 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
Spiking Demand, Growing Barriers: The Trends Shaping Afterschool and Summer Learning in Rural Communities

This fact sheet summarizes findings from the America After 3PM national survey about access to afterschool and summer programming in rural communities. 

  • Source: Afterschool Alliance
  • Resource Type: Leadership and Management Practices, Research
  • Year: 2021
Statutory and Programmatic

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education
  • Resource Type:
Structuring Out-of-School Time to Improve Academic Learning

This practice guide includes five recommendations to help district and school administrators and out-of-school program providers design out-of-school time programs that will increase learning for students. It describes the research supporting each recommendation, how to carry out each recommendation, and how to address implementation roadblocks that might arise.

  • Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, What Works Clearinghouse
  • Resource Type: Implementation Strategies, Innovation and Best Practices, Research
  • Year: 2009
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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. La' Shawndra Scroggins and Ms. Andrea Jackson.