§ 7171 — Purpose; Definitions

(a) The purpose of this part is to provide opportunities for communities to establish or expand activities in community learning centers that— (1) provide opportunities for academic enrichment, including providing tutorial services to help students, particularly students who attend low-performing schools, to meet the challenging State academic standards; (2) offer students a broad array of additional services, programs, and activities, such as youth development activities, service learning, nutrition and health education, drug and violence prevention programs, counseling programs, arts, music, physical fitness and wellness programs, technology education programs, financial literacy programs, environmental literacy programs, mathematics, science, career and technical programs, internship or apprenticeship programs, and other ties to an in-demand industry sector or occupation for high school students that are designed to reinforce and complement the regular academic program of participating students; and (3) offer families of students served by community learning centers opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children’s education, including opportunities for literacy and related educational development. (b) In this part: (1) The term “community learning center” means an entity that— (A) assists students to meet the challenging State academic standards by providing the students with academic enrichment activities and a broad array of other activities (such as programs and activities described in subsection (a)(2)) during nonschool hours or periods when school is not in session (such as before and after school or during summer recess) that— (i) reinforce and complement the regular academic programs of the schools attended by the students served; and (ii) are targeted to the students’ academic needs and aligned with the instruction students receive during the school day; and (B) offers families of students served by such center opportunities for active and meaningful engagement in their children’s education, including opportunities for literacy and related educational development. (2) The term “covered program” means a program for which— (A) the Secretary made a grant under this part (as this part was in effect on the day before the effective date of this part under the Every Student Succeeds Act); and (B) the grant period had not ended on that effective date. (3) The term “eligible entity” means a local educational agency, community-based organization, Indian tribe or tribal organization (as such terms are defined in section 5304 of title 25), another public or private entity, or a consortium of 2 or more such agencies, organizations, or entities. (4) The term “external organization” means— (A) a nonprofit organization with a record of success in running or working with before and after school (or summer recess) programs and activities; or (B) in the case of a community where there is no such organization, a nonprofit organization in the community that enters into a written agreement or partnership with an organization described in subparagraph (A) to receive mentoring and guidance in running or working with before and after school (or summer recess) programs and activities. (5) The term “rigorous peer-review process” means a process by which— (A) employees of a State educational agency who are familiar with the programs and activities assisted under this part review all applications that the State receives for awards under this part for completeness and applicant eligibility; (B) the State educational agency selects peer reviewers for such applications, who shall— (i) be selected for their expertise in providing effective academic, enrichment, youth development, and related services to children; and (ii) not include any applicant, or representative of an applicant, that has submitted an application under this part for the current application period; and (C) the peer reviewers described in subparagraph (B) review and rate the applications to determine the extent to which the applications meet the requirements under sections 7174(b) and 7175 of this title. (6) The term “State” means each of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.