Lowcountry groups receive money for community learning centers

Some Lowcountry schools will be able to offer more than just classes for students this coming year with the help of grants that were awarded Monday by the state Department of Education.

Four Charleston and Dorchester groups were among 47 schools, churches or community organizations statewide to receive 21st Century Community Learning Center grants worth more than $7 million.

Community learning centers offer academic, artistic and cultural enrichment for students and their families outside of traditional school hours, such as before and after school and during holidays. The awards are funded through the federal No Child Left Behind law.

The grants will provide research-based programs in areas such as language arts, math, science, technology, health and safety for high-poverty students and low-performing schools. Literacy programs also will be offered to families.

To find out which groups received funding, read tomorrow's editions of The Post and Courier.