ASES and 21st CCLC: free afterschool at school sites
ASES and 21st CCLC are state and federal grant programs that fund free afterschool programming at qualifying school sites, including middle and high schools. Where ELO-P stops at 6th grade, these often continue.
- Cost to families
- Free
- Grades
- Typically K–12, depending on the site's grant
- Where to enroll
- At the school site
- LA County districts recorded
- Inglewood, Compton, Long Beach, Pasadena, Lynwood, Hawthorne, Lancaster, Palmdale, Culver City
ASES vs ELO-P: which afterschool program covers your child
For a parent, they mostly feel the same: free care at your child's school after dismissal. The difference matters in two places. ASES sites often serve middle and high school students, where ELO-P concentrates on TK–6. And ASES is competitive grant money tied to specific schools, so it exists at some sites and not others in the same district.
Ask the school directly which one they run. Staff will often say "afterschool program" without distinguishing, and the answer determines whether your 8th grader can attend.
ASES afterschool providers by LA County district
Inglewood Unified enrolls at the school site, K–9, at (310) 419-2700. Compton Unified runs 2:30–6 p.m. and takes an online form at (310) 639-4321. Lynwood contracts Think Together. Hawthorne, Pasadena, Lancaster and Palmdale each run their own expanded-learning departments.
These operators change. Long Beach's WRAP operator changed in July 2026. Confirm at the school rather than relying on any directory, including this one.
ASES and 21st CCLC FAQs
- What is the difference between ASES and ELO-P?
- ELO-P is a universal state funding stream that pays every district to offer free TK–6 before and afterschool care. ASES and 21st CCLC are older, competitive grants tied to specific school sites, and they frequently cover middle and high school students that ELO-P does not.
- Does ASES cost anything?
- No. ASES and 21st CCLC programs are free to enrolled students at the funded school site.
Facts on this page were verified 2026-09-12. Districts change operators mid-year and charters change their amounts — confirm with the agency before you plan around anything here.