Grants to Missouri local education agencies for programs that promote the positive development of children and youth. Funding is intended to offer services to children for afterschool programs. Funds may be used for a new program or to expand and/or enhance current afterschool programs, whether supported by public or private funds. For example, an awardee may use funds to align activities to help students meet local and state academic standards if those services are not part of the current afterschool program.
Applications for the SAC grant must be identified as one of the following:
New Services: Implementing a new program where no such service is presently being operated. The program must be new to the district.
Existing Services: Improving and/or expanding an existing program to serve more children than are presently being served or to improve the quality of the program.
Research indicates a safe, well-supervised, and enriching School Age Community Program’s (SAC) environment can greatly enhance the social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development of children. Afterschool programs are not intended to extend the direct instruction of the classroom by using “right answer” materials and textbooks. However, parents, regular school staff, and most financial stakeholders including legislators want and need to know that academic support is taking place. All afterschool programs can support the academic development of participants by maximizing a variety of “teachable” moments to promote the cognitive, social, and recreational health of students. School Age Community (SAC) programs can also reduce the negative effects many children experience from being in self‐care (i.e., negative peer pressure, loneliness, boredom, fear, accidents, and poor school performance).
SAC Programs are those school‐based programs offering services to all children, including children with disabilities, from ages 5 through 12 (children must be less than 13 years of age), unless targeted students are under supervision of the court in which case the SAC program may serve students to the age of 19. SAC Programs can be provided to children enrolled during non‐school hours, after their daily class sessions or during other non‐school hours (i.e., breaks, holidays, or weekends). Additionally, SAC Programs should meet the needs of working parent(s) during non‐school days.
Minimum Standards:
According to the U.S. Department of Education’s publication Working for Children and Families: Safe and Smart Afterschool Programs, there are nine components present in high‐quality afterschool programs. These include:
In addition to the aforementioned nine components, the following are specific examples that should be found in a quality afterschool program:
DESE will award competitive priority points to applications that:
A) Propose to target services to students who attend schools listed as either comprehensive or targeted schools.
B) Operate SAC program year round, including the summer months, breaks, holidays (except legal holidays), inclement weather, teacher conference, and other days when public schools might not be in session.
C) Include a district (not site) applying for a SAC grant for the first time. First time is defined as no grant awarded to the district beginning with the 2014-5 school year to present.
D) Propose to operate in a school with higher percentages of free and reduced priced meals.
Estimated Size of Grant:
The Missouri SAC awards shall not exceed three years.
DESE intends to make first year awards through June 30, 2021, with two subsequent one‐year continuation options to successful awardees.
Awards may be renewed pending availability of funds, successful completion of all deliverables/requirements, attendance levels, quality of program and program performance, submission of complete and accurate end‐of‐year reports, submission of an approved continuation form, and any additional information identified by DESE.
Applicants are allowed and encouraged to submit the application via email to exl@dese.mo.gov or placed in the mail by the deadline.
Mail:
DESE
Extended Learning Section
Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Education
P.O. Box 480
Jefferson City, MO 65102‐0480
Phone: 573-522-2627
Fax: 573-522-3726
Physical:
DESE
Extended Learning Section
Dept. of Elementary and Secondary Ed.
205 Jefferson Street, 7th Floor
Jefferson City, MO 65102‐0480
Questions must be submitted in writing to the Extended Learning Section at exl@dese.mo.gov.