NYS TARC Newsletter—September 2026
- NYS 21CCLC TARC
- 1 hour ago
- 7 min read
Jump to section: NYSED News/Updates
Important Reminders from the '25-'26 21st CCLC Timeline:
We will provide an updated 2026–2027 timeline soon.
Annual MWBE 104G Compliance Report was due to the MWBE office at mwbegrants@nysed.gov by July 31.
Grade report data ,for students in Grades 7, 8, and 10-12 from partnering school district(s) in accordance with the prior-approved Partnership Agreement and submit completed GPA calculators to the subgrantee’s respective Go Anywhere FTP folder, was due by August 31. Programs required to submit GPAs should reach out to EMSC21stCCLC@nysed.gov for further information. Review the training materials and the recording, TBD. Contact your TARC promptly if your district’s schedule for releasing grades will not allow you to meet this deadline.
Local Evaluators: Complete Annual Evaluation Report (AER; MS Word Document) and accompanying Evaluation Plan & Results Tables (MS Excel Workbook) and send to the Program Director and NYSED via EMSC21CCLCSTCCLC@NYSED.GOV by October 31.
Obtain student outcome data from districts as needed for local objectives.
Submit 2025-2026 Final Expenditure Reports (FS-10-F) to Office of Grants Finance by September 30. Recommended in Excel; please enable macros. Commence Summer Programming (if applicable; Year 5 begins July 1, 2026)
Prepare information for Year 5 Strategic Planning. Synthesize and integrate recommendations and input gathered from Needs Assessment and/or the Support Services and Learning Needs Inventory, the AER, and the Internal Review processes into plans for next year.
Communicate findings, celebrate successes, and share plans with the community and stakeholder audiences.
Update on the 21st CCLC Conferences:
Over the next five years (September 2026 through June 2031), conferences will follow this new timeline:
Statewide Fall Conference: This is a joint event for all New York City (NYC) and Rest of State (ROS) subgrantees. It is slated to take place in the Capital District on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday between September 1 and October 31 of each program year.
Regional Spring Conferences: Separate regional events for NYC and ROS subgrantees will take place each spring. These will be held on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday between March 1 and April 30 of each program year. The NYC and ROS Technical Assistance Centers will notify subgrantees of their respective regional centralized locations as soon as the dates and locations are identified.
Important Update for Fall 2026:
We are still finalizing the exact date for this year’s Statewide Fall Conference. We will notify all subgrantees as soon as the date is locked in. In the meantime, please continue to allocate funding for the conferences and submit your travel requests as needed or required by your organization or district. While the Statewide Fall Conference was originally scheduled take place in the Capital District between September 1 and October 31, with the new NYC and ROS Technical Assistance Center contracts not yet finalized, it may either occur later in 2026, such as late November or early December, or it may be virtual. We will notify you of the final event date and format as soon as we are able.
Afterschool21 Guidance
Missed the latest Afterschool21 trainings? Check them out on our website.
PD/Events
RoS TARC PD
The Rest of State TARC held two virtual Summer Professional Development sessions last month regarding Transforming Family Engagement in Expanded Learning Programs. In case you missed it, check out the PD material here!
Policy Pulse: September 11th at 12:00pm ET
Every second Friday at noon ET, the Senior VP of Policy at Afterschool Alliance, Erik Peterson, will recap the latest policy developments, what we know (or don’t know!) about how they may impact afterschool and summer programs, and what may be coming up next.
On-Going Offering: Self-Paced Professional Development on Change Up Learning
We're happy to remind you that 21C subgrantees have access to a number of free, self-paced courses through our partnership with Change Up Learning! Each course takes approximately 1-1.5 hours to complete, offers a Certificate of Completion (with SACC credits), and features resources you can utilize at your site.
With over 50 topics and a growing library, consider one of these areas relevant to your role:
Youth Development: Ages + Stages: Child + Youth Development; Boosting Engagement & Belonging; Equitable and Inclusive Approaches to SEL
Curriculum and Lesson Planning: Curriculum + Lesson Plans; Culturally Responsive Practice; Educational and Fun Project-Based Learning
Leadership and Staff Development: Communication for Managers; Activating Leadership Skills; Effective Program Management
Equity and Inclusion: Introduction to Equity and Inclusion; Antiracism in Organizations; Understanding LGBTQ+ Inclusion
Get started today!
If you’re based in NYC, activate your account here.
If you’re based in the rest of NY state, activate your account here.
Resources
Sneak Peek of Tech Unlimited's LEV!
Tech Unlimited invites you to sample their new arts and technology-based curriculum, LEV, recommended for 7-12th Grade equivalency. At the end of September they will launch a FREE library consisting of ready-to-use lesson plans created by educators and social workers with neurodiversity in mind. You are encouraged to check out the three LEV courses available now; each designed to reinforce Social Emotional Learning (SEL) skills and explore the creative power of tech, and structured to fit within a school day or after-school program.
About Tech Unlimited:
For over 15 years, Tech Unlimited (TU-formerly Tech Kids Unlimited) has been offering after-school, weekend and summer programs that use technology tools, computer science thinking, and social-emotional learning to ignite unlimited futures for neurodiverse students in need.
America After 3PM Report: The Summer Struggle for Everyday Families
A new national report from the Afterschool Alliance reveals that millions of families are struggling to access affordable summer opportunities for their children, even as demand for structured summer programs continues to grow.
The findings come from The Summer Struggle for Everyday Families, part of the organization’s latest America After 3PM research series.
We’re just weeks away from the 27th celebration of Lights on Afterschool!
Register your event and get your 10 free posters!
Not sure where to begin your planning process? We’ve gathered our top tips to help you plan a Lights On Afterschool celebration that fits your program’s bandwidth and budget. This week’s planning tips include:
Check out our planning timeline: A step-by-step guide walking you through planning your event, from ideation to execution.
Browse the Event Ideas Database, recently updated with 200 new ideas, for more inspiration, searchable by theme, planning time, and difficulty.
Order a Lights On easy pack or other promotional items, including strobe buttons, sunglasses, and car decals. They make great prizes or giveaways at any event!
Register your Lights On event by September 3, and you'll be entered to win an assortment of fruit-flavored Torani Flavoring Syrups, provided by our long-time afterschool supporter, Torani. The package also includes plastic logo cups, straws, syrup pumps, and cocktail napkins—everything you need to hold an Italian soda party at your afterschool program or for Lights On Afterschool.
Need a spark? Whether it's your first year celebrating and you're not sure where to start, or it's your 27th and you're looking for a fresh idea, Lights On Afterschool events don't need to be big in scale or cost to have a big impact. Here are some creative ways afterschool programs celebrated last year:
💡In Denver, CO, students built a pretend "energy company" to show what happens when funding runs out—the lights go out.
💡 In Holiday, FL, a glow-in-the-dark party doubled as an art gallery celebrating student resilience.
💡 In Hatton, ND, families ran a nighttime glow run while neighbors lit their porches along the route.
Mark your calendar: Join us on Wednesday, September 9, at 2 PM ET for our Lights On Afterschool 101 webinar to gather more ideas and inspiration!
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Program Spotlights
A Message From the Rest of State TARC Director
As we move into the ‘26-27 school year, I want to take a moment to highlight all of the great work that has been done in the 21st CCLC community. I have witnessed countless programs and program staff who make an impact on students every single day. The work being done by all 21st CCLC programs is important, and I want to thank every staff member for providing an engaging, educational, and most importantly safe environment where students can become the best version of themselves.
As for the Rest of State TARC, here is some highlights of our work during the previous program year:
Conducted 20 intensive site-monitoring visits
Offered multiple professional development sessions
Offered two annual conferences with over 500 total attendees who were educators, administrators, program staff, and local evaluators
Curated a monthly newsletter that reached over 600 recipients
Maintained an extensive website that includes resources, guidance documents, and a newsletter archive
Supported subgrantees with federal data requirements, including accurate reporting and progress monitoring
Fielded thousands of technical-assistance calls and emails, and hundreds of virtual meetings
As we look ahead to the upcoming school year, I am confident that our Rest of State programs will continue to provide excellent after school programs. Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Resource Center with anything 21st CCLC.
Warmly, Josh
NYC Spotlight
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Evaluators' Corner
2026 Teacher Survey
The summary of results from the 2026 Teacher Survey can be found here.
Key findings from this year’s study:
1. School engagement of 21CCLC participants improved during the 2025-26 school year.
2. The proportion of students whose teachers reported improved school engagement
increased with program attendance.
2025-26 AER Due Date: October 30
The new templates can be downloaded from the Evaluation tab on the TARC website.
Contact MI with any questions or concerns. 21ceval@measinc.com
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