College of Charleston—Afterschool and Community Learning Network

About the College of Charleston—Afterschool and Community Learning Network

The College of Charleston—Afterschool and Community Learning Network, led by Terry Peterson, was created to raise and explore emerging policy issues at the local, state and federal levels and to analyze trends and strategies for improving afterschool and expanded learning funding and support systems.

Terry Peterson consults with national education leaders, states and localities on afterschool and expanded learning policies, partnerships and new connections that might enhance the expansion of and improve the quality of afterschool and expanded learning programs and community learning centers. He develops surveys, publications and presentations on contemporary afterschool and education issues. He also has worked extensively at finding connections among educators/current education reforms and the afterschool, summer and community learning fields.

Network Support

  • As one of the original founders of the growth of the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, he has helped several statewide afterschool networks develop strategies to work better with their state 21st Century Program and use the learning from this large scale initiative for other scalable programs.
  • He has also helped networks consider options for potentially including afterschool and expanded learning as a possible addition/refinement of a state's basic education funding formula.  
  • He has helped consider approaches for deploying afterschool and summer learning opportunities for older youth to graduate from high school and gain exposure and credits for college.
  • He has assisted state and local organizations strategize about the next generation of learning possible in afterschool and expanded learning opportunities and in summers through connections to new and varied community, state and national partners.

ATAC Contact

Terry Peterson
tkpalexva@aol.com