The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 was signed into law in January 2002, authorizing the California Department of Education to administer California's 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Program. Education Code sections 8484.7–8484.9 further define California's 21st CCLC Program. This state-administered, federally funded program provides five-year grant funding to establish or expand before-and after-school programs that provide transitional kindergarten through twelfth-grade students (particularly students who attend schools in need of improvement) with academic enrichment opportunities and supportive services to help the students meet state and local standards in core content areas. In California, this funding is broken into two: 21st CCLC serves students in transitional kindergarten through ninth grade. After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens (ASSETs) serves students in high school.
The purpose of the 21st CCLC Program is to support the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities during non school hours for children, particularly students who attend high-poverty and low-performing schools. The 21st CCLC Program helps students meet state and local academic standards in core subjects, such as reading and math; offers students a broad array of enrichment activities that can complement the regular academic program; and offers educational services to the families of participating children.
The purpose of the 21st CCLC ASSETs Program is to provide local flexibility in the establishment or expansion of community learning centers that provide students in grades nine through twelve with academic enrichment opportunities and activities designed to complement students’ regular academic program and that support college and career readiness, assist with literacy and related educational development services for families of these students, and provide a safe environment for students participating in their programs.