$1.2M grant supports after-school learning at PVSchools

By Stacy Mantle
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PVSchools 21st Century Community Learning Center program brought $1.23 million in federal funding to 10 schools during the 2025-26 school year, supporting academic help, enrichment and family programs outside the regular school day. 

District officials told the governing board Aug. 20 that 1,868 students in kindergarten through 12th grade enrolled in programming offered before school, after school and during  summer. Of those students, 1,132 attended at least 30 days, the participation level used by the grant to measure regular attendance. 

"Our goal is not simply to enroll the students," grant manager Tammy Taylor said. "It is to engage them consistently so the program can strengthen their learning, confidence and connection to school."

The program operates at eight elementary schools, Greenway Middle School and North Canyon High School. Elementary campuses accounted for 883 regular attendees, while 143 seventh- and eighth-graders and 106 high school students attended at least 30 days. Another 549 students participated in summer programming. 

The district reported 2,741 hours of instruction outside the regular school day. Academic-year programming runs about 25 to 27 weeks and can include as many as 103 days of before- and after-school activities, in addition to four weeks of summer programming. 

"These are not simply hours of child care," Taylor said. "They represent meaningful opportunities for students to receive academic support, participate in enrichment, develop new skills, explore their interests and build relationships with caring adults."

Programming varies by campus and can include literacy and math support, art, music, science, technology, physical fitness, career exploration and service learning. Community partners provide specialized activities ranging from engineering and theater to animal science, cooking, mentoring and athletics. 

The federal grant also created more than 150 additional employment opportunities for existing district staff, according to the presentation. Most program employees are PVSchools teachers or other campus staff, with outside vendors used for specialized offerings. 

To qualify, an individual school must serve a student population in which at least 40% of students are economically disadvantaged. Each eligible campus applies separately through a competitive process administered by the Arizona Department of Education, and eligibility does not guarantee an award. 

Assistant Superintendent Karen Benson said recent federal data showed roughly one in three grant applications was funded in 2026. District leaders said they plan to encourage other eligible districts to apply and conduct a deeper analysis of how sustained participation affects student growth and achievement over time. 

"Although academic intervention is a central part of the program, 21st CCLC offers much more than tutoring," Taylor said. "It extends learning beyond the regular school day by combining targeted academic support with engaging enrichment and youth development opportunities."

Editor’s note:   A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.