2023-2024 Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC, Cycle 12, Year 1

The federal Nita M. Lowey 21st CCLC program supports the creation and expansion of community learning centers that provide academic and enrichment opportunities during afterschool and summer programming, particularly for students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The Texas 21st CCLC program operates as the Texas Afterschool Centers on Education, or Texas ACE. Cycle 12 of Texas ACE will focus on three key activities: 

• Targeted academic support using high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), high-impact tutoring (HIT), and/or school-day aligned academic activities. 
• Student interest-based enrichment that is both academic and enriching, including but not limited to college and career readiness, service learning, physical fitness, health and wellness, and fine arts activities. 
• Family engagement in learning through ongoing activities that connect parents to the school and community. 

TEA is announcing the availability of grant funds for the 2023-2024 Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC), Cycle 12, Year 1 grant program. Request for Application (RFA) #701-23-106 is authorized by the Public Law 114-95, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), Title IV, Part B (20 U.S.C. §§7171-7176). The RFA is available on the TEA Grant Opportunities Page.  

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include local educational agencies, including independent school districts, open-enrollment charter schools, and regional education service centers; community-based organizations; Indian tribe or tribal organizations (as such terms are defined in the Indian Self-Determination and Education Act (25 U.S.C. 450b), §4); other public or private entities; or a consortium of two or more eligible organizations. Applications must propose to serve campuses that are eligible for schoolwide programs under ESSA, §1114, and the families of such students. A campus is ineligible to be included in a funded application if it meets either of the following conditions: the campus or school was newly opened in the school year 2022-2023 or the campus is a center or center feeder in an active Texas 21st CCLC, Cycle 11 grant program. If an eligible applicant includes one or more ineligible campus or feeder campus, TEA may deem the entire application ineligible for consideration. Each eligible applicant may submit only one application for funding up to 10 centers. Please see the Program Guidelines for additional information on eligibility as well as the General and Fiscal Guidelines. 

Grant Period

• Initial Budget Period: August 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024. 
• Total Project Period: August 1, 2023, through July 31, 2028.  

Funding

Approximately $56,688,672 is available for this grant program, and approximately 40 grants are anticipated to be awarded. Grant awards are expected to range from $250,000 to $2,000,000 each year of the five-year project period.  

Informational Webinar and FAQs 

• 21st CCLC Cycle 12 Informational Webinar: 

*Recorded webinar will be posted on the TEA Grant Opportunities page. 

• Timeline 

Application Deadline  

All application components stipulated in the program guidelines must be received by the Texas Education Agency by 11:59 p.m. (Central Time), January 23, 2023 to be considered for funding. TEA will only accept applications by email sent to competitivegrants@tea.texas.gov.