Ohio Department of Education funding of CSU resource center will support academic, enrichment services for K-12 students

Cleveland, Ohio (June 21, 2022)—The Community Learning Center for Children and Youth (CLC) at Cleveland State University (CSU) has received a total of $1.1 million in grant funding for Summer Learning and Afterschool Opportunities (a $600,000 grant) and for Statewide Mathematics and Literacy ($500,000) from the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to support K-12 students.

The CLC is a year-round instructional facility for College of Education and Public Affairs students. Through its staff of CSU faculty and students, it serves children, youth and families from Greater Cleveland, providing academic and enrichment services, and collaborating with community partners.

“In a supervised educational setting, CLC instructs current and future educators by providing resources and services including assessment and tutoring in literacy and math to children and youth,” said Amanda Yurick, Ph.D., CLC program director and associate professor in special education.

“As a service to the community, most of these experiences are offered to our families and K-12 learners are offered completely free of charge upon completion of an enrollment form,” she said. Dr. Yurick served as principal investigator on both grants.

The CLC is a cooperative learning center that has been in operation for over 25 years, offering multiple opportunities for both in-person and remote instruction emerging from the core value of providing equitable educational access to all—as well as opportunities for current and future educators to refine their teaching skills with learners of diverse abilities and backgrounds.

While a large portion of this round of 2022 ODE funding supports tutors, logistics and operational costs, Dr. Yurick said that “it all supports the ‘big picture educational health’ of students, by maintaining critical communications between teachers, tutors, students and parents or guardians.”

“That connection between school day and afterschool is absolutely critical, and ensures that everyone is on the same page,” said Dr. Yurick, who draws on her quantitative research in early reading intervention, urban education, learning disabilities and behavior disorders in leading the CLC’s mission.

“This means congruent, consistent tutoring and instruction, and greater educational success for all.”

The CLC is self-sustaining through generous donations from community stakeholders, partners, families, and philanthropy organizations. The physical location for in-person CLC tutoring is in Julka Hall on the CSU campus, 2485 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44115.

Learn more at cehs.csuohio.edu/center/community-learning-center-for-children-and-youth-clc.

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About Cleveland State University

Founded in 1964, Cleveland State University is a public research institution that provides a dynamic setting for Engaged Learning. With nearly 16,000 students, 10 colleges and schools and more than 175 academic programs, CSU was again chosen for 2021 as one of America’s best universities by U.S. News & World Report, including the #1 public university in Ohio for social mobility. Find more information at www.csuohio.edu.