Local evaluators for 21st Century Community Learning Centers
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21st Century Community Learning Centers money is federal, but each state runs its own competition and writes its own evaluation rules. Some states require every funded after-school program to have an independent local evaluator; others make it optional and cap what it may cost.
Do 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs need a local evaluator?
It depends on the state. The funds are federal, but each state runs its own competition and writes its own evaluation rules. Some states require every funded after-school program to have an independent local evaluator, Iowa among them, while others, such as Texas, make it optional. Your state’s request for applications is the only reliable source. Plotline Evaluation serves as that local evaluator.
What the states ask for
- Federal law requires each program to undergo a periodic evaluation in conjunction with the state’s overall evaluation plan, and leaves the design to the state (20 U.S.C. 7175(b)(2)).
- Iowa requires an annual local evaluation by an independent program evaluator, and caps its cost at 4 percent of the budget: up to $4,000 on a $100,000 award (Iowa evaluation guidelines; Iowa Department of Education).
- Texas does not require one. Texas ACE grantees complete state Impact Reports with a TEA Performance Coach, and may also contract an independent evaluator for work beyond those reports, at no more than $2,000 per center a year (Texas Cycle 13 program guidelines).
- The rules, the forms and the deadlines differ in every state. Your state’s request for applications is the only reliable source.
Facts on this page were checked against the official sources on October 31, 2026. Rules change; rely on the official announcement or regulation linked here, not on this summary.
Where we fit
Budgets for this work are modest, so the evaluation has to be efficient and still useful to the people running the program.
- An evaluation plan and logic model that meet your state’s template
- Student, parent and staff surveys, and observations of the program as it is delivered
- Focus groups and interviews with students, families, teachers and partners
- Data management and quantitative analysis of attendance, grades and state-required measures
- Expert data visualization, and the annual local evaluation report your state requires
- Final reporting in multiple formats: full report, executive summary, slide deck, one-page brief or dashboard
Mixed methods is our default design: qualitative and quantitative data, collected together and reported as one story.
Timing
State competitions run on their own calendars, usually once a year or once per grant cycle. Iowa’s FY2027 round, for example, opened October 30, 2026, with applications due December 31, 2026 (Iowa Department of Education). The best time to bring in an evaluator is while the application is being written, so the evaluation plan and the budget line agree.
Questions people ask
How much can a 21st CCLC program spend on local evaluation?
States commonly limit it to a small share of the award. Iowa caps it at 4 percent, for example up to $4,000 on a $100,000 award; Texas allows up to $2,000 per center a year. Check your own state’s rules.
When should an after-school program bring in an evaluator?
While the application is being written, so the evaluation plan and the budget line agree. State competitions usually run once a year or once per grant cycle.
Applying for or running a 21st CCLC program?
Tell us your state and where you are in the grant cycle. You will hear back within one business day.
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