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Ensuring that the goals of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) become a reality requires true collaboration at the federal, state and local levels. To that end, the U.S. Department of Education's Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (Center) has sought opportunities for state and local education agencies to work with faith-based and community organizations (FBCOs) in order to achieve the goals of NCLB. The Center has worked closely with state and local education officials to provide technical assistance on the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program (21st CCLC) and Supplemental Educational Services (SES), two programs amenable to the participation of faith-based and community organizations.

The Center has been able to identify and compile useful practices that state and local education agencies can employ to fully engage faith-based and community organizations.

State education agencies (SEAs) and local education agencies (LEAs) can:

1. Develop and maintain databases of faith-based and community organizations, and other organizations.

2. Post SES, 21stCCLC and other grant opportunities on their Web sites.

3. Create e-mail and mailing lists to provide notice of SES, grant opportunities and technical workshops; and invite FBCOs and other organizations to join the list.

4. Train staff on the U.S. Department of Education's regulations on participation in Department programs by religious organizations and on providing for equal treatment of all education program participants (Equal Treatment Regulations).

   • Equal Treatment Regulations
   • Regulatory Reform: Understanding the Impact of the Equal Treatment Amendments to EDGAR
   • More Than Rules: How Equal Treatment Can Expand Services to America's Needy

5. Conduct at least one technical assistance workshop within 10 days of an announcement of a subgrant competition or the process for approval of SES providers. Multiple technical assistance workshops are useful for large states. The use of technology, such as webcasts and telephone conference calls, may be useful in reaching the largest possible group of applicants.

Workshops conducted by SEAs can:

1. Utilize the current application, with a focus on addressing the selection criteria and meeting the requirements outlined in the application.

2. Point out mistakes commonly made by applicants and explain how to avoid them.

3. Outline budgetary issues.

4. Explain academic curriculum requirements and where to find more information on these requirements.

5. Make sample quality grant applications available at the workshop and on the SEA home page.

6. Recommend that applicants submit their completed application at least 24 hours prior to the deadline.

7. Instruct prospective applicants to review all relevant statutory, regulatory and guidance documents.

Currently, over 30 states have either an office or a liaison in place to work with faith-based and community organizations. State and local education agencies can reach out to these state liaisons and coordinate their efforts to better engage the participation of faith-based and community organizations and other organizations in state-administered programs such as SES and 21st CCLC.

SEAs can:

1. Inform state liaisons when new SES providers are being approved and applications for 21st CCLC and other funding opportunities open to nonprofits are released.

2. Attend conferences, workshops and meetings sponsored by state liaisons.

3. Invite state liaisons to participate in technical assistance workshops sponsored by the SEA.

(Please Note: The use of the state liaisons to assist in informing faith-based and community organizations and other organizations about SES, 21st CCLC and other funding opportunities should supplement, not replace, the efforts of the SEA to reach out to these organizations.)

LEAs can:

1. Contact state liaisons to assist in identifying potential faith-based and community organizations and other organizations that would be interested in partnering with the LEAs for funding opportunities.

2. Invite state liaisons to participate in LEA-sponsored meetings or other community outreach programs.

For additional information on ways SEAs and LEAs can make SES work for students and families, please see Giving Parents Options: Strategies for Informing Parents and Implementing Public School Choice and Supplemental Educational Services Under No Child Left Behind.