Historically, after-school programs were the primary concern of local communities.  However, changing social structures, as well as an increased attention on student achievement during the 1980s and 1990s, culminated in the first federal involvement with after-school programs.  In 1994, the 21^st Century Community Learning Centers Act created federal grants for after-school programs, aimed at providing safe and enriching spaces for students and families in rural and urban communities.  Since the program's inception, it has evolved from a community learning center model to a more academically oriented program targeted to students attending low-performing and high-poverty schools.

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