Extended Learning Time

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Extended Learning Time

• Colleen Klein Reutebuch, Ph.D.
• Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language Arts
• July 18-20, 2006

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Learning is like swimming
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To help students get students here
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RF extended time should look more like this.
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And less like this.
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Rationale

• Extending the learning time, including before or
  after the school day or during the summer, is
  integral to ensure that struggling readers avoid
  failure and are provided additional time needed
  to acquire and practice skills, and to accelerate
  learning so that no child is truly left behind in
  the area of reading

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Rationale cont.

• NCLB explicitly articulates extended learning
  opportunities as a strategy for turning around
  low-performing schools
• NCLB encourages schools to extend strategies
  identified in their school improvement plans to
  before-school, afterschool hours, and summer
  programs

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Overview

• Extending the learning time
• Extending the school day
• Extending the school year (summer school)
• Funding Sources
• Q A

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If we are to achieve results never before
accomplished, we must employ methods never before
attended. Francis Bacon
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Caution

• Before/after school and summer school programs
  are not substitutes for the required support that
  must be delivered daily, within the school year,
  to students struggling with reading in K-3

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Caution

• RF funds cannot be used for transportation or
  snack costs

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Adhering to features of effective reading
instruction and intervention

• Core reading instruction and intervention
  instruction are based on SBRR
• Grade level appropriate and approved diagnostic
  and/or progress monitoring data are used to
  inform and differentiate instruction
• Qualified personnel provide instruction/interven
  tion

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Adhering to features ofcont.

• Essential reading components must be explicitly
  addressed in all RF funded activities
• Program oversight provided by a campus coach or
  school program coordinator

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Effective features

• Careful attention to program fidelity
• Substantial academic components
• Coordinating with learning goals and activities
  of the regular school year
• Relevant staff development
• Evaluation of program success

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Effective features cont.

• Cultural sensitivity
• Parent and community involvement
• High expectations
• Borman, 2000 Entwisle, Alexander, Olson,
  2001 Funkhouser, Fiester, OBrian, Weimer, 1995

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Extending the school day

• Before school
• Afterschool (can include Saturdays)

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Potential learning benefits

• Increased achievement
• Enhances reading ability and motivation, and
  greater self-confidence in reading
• Improved school attendance and reduced drop-out
  rate
• Completion of more and better-quality homework
• Reduced grade retention and placement in special
  education
• US Dept. of Education and US Dept. of
  Justice, 1998

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Study the data

• Which students need more time?
• How much additional time do students need?
• In what grade(s) should extended time be
  implemented?
• Would reteaching or pre-teaching skills be
  adequate or is a double dose of intervention
  needed?

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Intervention instruction

• Is additional to the core reading instruction
• Is provided to struggling readers
• Is explicit and systematic
• Usually occurs in small same-ability groups
• Provides adequate scaffolding, multiple
  opportunities to practice, and corrective feedback

• GOAL
• Accelerate learning to close gap between
  struggling and grade level readers

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3-Tier Reading Model
Core classroom instruction
I
All students
II
Approximately 2030 of students
Intervention
III
Approximately 510 of students
Intensive intervention
(may include special education students)
From Vaughn Gross Center for Reading and Language
Arts at The University of Texas (2005).
Implementing the 3-Tier Reading Model Reducing
Reading difficulties for kindergarten through
third grade students (4th ed.). Austin, TX
Author.
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Extending intervention

• Tier III intensive intervention (students with
  extreme reading difficulties who have not made
  adequate progress in Tiers I and II)
• Tier II targeted, specific intervention (students
  who need additional reading instruction)
• Tier II and II both require frequent progress
  monitoring

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Garner Support

• School staff and leadership should be involved in
  planning
• (Its difficult for programs to thrive if any
  adversarial relationships exist)

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Develop a plan

• Who will staff (are they trained)?
• What PD is necessary?
• Who will supervise and coordinate?
• What materials will be used?
• How will instruction be coordinated with the
  regular school day?
• How will student information be shared?

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Develop a plan cont.

• How will students enter/exit?
• What space will be used?
• How will this extended day accommodate students
  learning needs?
• What are the expectations of parents
  (transportation, homework support, etc.)?
• Whats the budget?
• What funding sources will be utilized?

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Develop a plan cont.

• How will you inform parents and gain consent?
• How can you encourage attendance?
• Will you provide transportation? (RF funds cannot
  be used)
• How, when, with what non-RF funds will snacks be
  provided? (using RF funds for food is not
  allowable)

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Planning Info
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Extended day example

• North Elementary
• K-3 receives 1 hour afterschool for struggling
  readers M-Th
• Core teachers do tutoring
• Interventionists, special education teachers
  provide 30 minutes of double dose of Tier III
  intervention

• 300-330 PM
• Grades 2/3 Tutoring
• Grades K/1 Intervention
• 330-4 PM
• Grades 2/3Intervention
• Grades K/1 Tutoring

Tutorials consist of review or reteach of
school day lesson or a preteach of next days
lesson
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Extended day example cont.

• South Elementary
• Grades 2-3 receive 30 minutes intervention
  afterschool for struggling readers M-Th
• Afterschool community staff do tutoring
• Classroom teachers provide Tier II intervention
• Interventionist and special education teacher
  provides Tier III intervention

• Grades K-1 receive 30 minutes intervention before
  school for struggling readers M-Th
• Classroom teachers provide Tier II intervention
• Interventionist and special education teacher
  provide Tier III intervention

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Lessons learned

• Dont burn out staff (3 weeks on/off)
• Dont burn out students
• Involve parents in planning
• Schedule extended time to get the biggest bang
  from all involved
• Form a decision making team

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Implementation ideas

• INITIAL STEPS
• Document the need for an afterschool program or
  for additions/modifications to what is in place
• Research afterschool programs (include site
  visits)
• Assess the programs financial capabilities and
  develop a financial plan

• Solidify details about the programs location and
  other logistics
• Determine the scope of the intended program
• Start small and build gradually in response to
  need (set up a pilot program and fund it
  modestly)

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Summer and the academic slide
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Summer school benefits

• Summer school is critical to state efforts to
  end social promotion and reduce retention rates.
  Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2002
• Halt summer slide
• Ensure struggling students receive ongoing
  learning opportunities

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What is known

• Traditionally a local option with quality and
  duration inconsistent
• More lasting benefits when operated over a
  greater number of weeks for fewer hours per day
• Provides more continuity of learning experiences

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What is known cont.

• Programs that focus on lessening or removing
  learning deficiencies have a positive effect on
  the knowledge and skills of students
• Programs that focus on accelerating learning have
  a positive effect on students
• Programs that provide small-group or
  individualized instruction produce the largest
  impact on student learning

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What is known cont.

• Programs designed for the earliest grades and for
  students from less-advantaged families promise to
  close the achievement gap
• Borman, 2000 Cooper, 2001 Entwisle,
  Alexander, Olson, 2001
• If summer school is to prevent seasonal learning
  losses, it makes little sense to begin mandating
  summer school only after students have fallen
  behind in their regular school year work.
• Borman, 2000, p. 125

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Pitfalls

• Funding challenges
• Short program duration
• Loose organization
• Little advance planning
• Low academic expectations

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Pitfalls cont.

• Discontinuity between summer and regular school
  year curriculum
• Wasted instructional time
• Teacher fatigue
• Poor student attendance

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Effective approaches

• Begin in the early grades
• Offer programs over multiple summers
• Focus on prevention and development rather than
  remediation

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Build a successful program

• Begin teacher recruitment early
• Develop curriculum guides and pacing charts
• Create more continuity between regular school
  year and summer school
• Clearly communicate summer session goals and
  student responsibilities

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Build a successful program cont.

• Provide a rigorous curriculum that helps students
  meet learning goals and state standards
• Provide meaningful, ongoing home communication
  regarding student attendance, behavior, and
  progress
• Evaluate program outcomes
• Minneapolis Public Schools, 2002

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Sample schedule

• M -Th for 6 Weeks
• Students June 11 to July 19
• Staff June 7 PD June 8 Prep July 20 Data
  review meeting
• Staff 730 to 1230
• Students 8 to 12 Noon
• some IEPs may stipulate 5 days a week

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Summer school at a glance

• 8-950 Reading
• 950-1010 Break
• 1010-12 Math

• What goes on during reading instruction?
• whole group
• small same and mixed ability groups (centers)
• independent work
• one-on-one
• Progress monitoring should be ongoing to allow
  for flexible grouping

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Planning decisions

• What data will be used for student selection?
  (i.e., assessment scores, teacher
  recommendations, IEPs, etc.)
• Who will staff?
• Who will provide PD/What PD is needed?
• How to attract the best teachers?
• Who will coordinate?
• Is student attendance mandatory or optional?

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Planning decisions cont.

• What space will be used?
• What materials will be used?
• What are the expectations of parents
  (transportation, homework support, etc.)?
• Whats the budget?
• How will transportation needs be handled? (cannot
  use RF funds)
• What funding sources will be utilized?

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Planning decisions cont.

• How will student data be shared and used for fall
  placement?

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Using NCLB funds

• FUNDING SOURCE
• Title I, Part A

• ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES
• Extended day/year and summer programs
• Staffing
• PD
• Program equipment, curricular materials, and
  supplies
• Parental engagement activities

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Using NCLB funds

• FUNDING SOURCE
• Title I School Improvement Funds

• ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES
• Funds can support same activities/components as
  Title I, but must be an explicit part of a
  schools improvement strategy

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Using NCLB funds

• FUNDING SOURCE
• Supplemental Educational Services

• ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES
• Funds can support targeted academic instruction
  (tutoring) for eligible students attending
  schools not meeting AYP for 3 years. Tutoring
  must occur outside the regular school day.

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Using NCLB funds

• FUNDING SOURCE
• Comprehensive School Reform
• (Title I, Part F)

• ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES
• Funds can support extended learning activities
  that are incorporated into a broader
  comprehensive school reform model that is adopted
  by a school

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Using NCLB funds

• FUNDING SOURCE
• Innovative Programs
• (Title V, Part A)

• ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES
• Service learning
• Mentoring and counseling
• Parental and community engagement
• Homework help
• School safety activities

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Using NCLB funds

• FUNDING SOURCE
• Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities
• (Title IV, Part A)

• ALLOWABLE ACTIVITIES
• Funds can support character education, mentoring
  and drug/violence prevention activities.
  Components must address substance abuse and
  violence concerns in the school where the program
  is located.

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Other funding sources

• Afterschool.gov www.afterschool.gov
• Clearinghouse with links to funding and federal
  sources to support program for out of school hours

• Finance Project
• www.financeproject.org
• Resources for financing and sustaining
  out-of-school projects

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Other funding sources cont.

• National Endowment for the Arts
  www.nea.gov/artforms/Artsed/Artset1.html
• Provides grants for early childhood,
  school-based, and community-based art programs
  including summer programs

• National Institute on Out-of-School Time
• www.niost.org
• Links to funding sources, research, training,
  and publications involving out of school time

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Other funding sources cont.

• 21 Century Community Learning Centers
• www.ed.gov/21stcclc/
• Provides Community Learning Center Grants
  through state allocations for academic enrichment
  opportunities during non-school hours. States are
  requires to make awards only to applicants that
  will serve students with concentrations of poor
  students. States must provide a priority for
  projects that target services to students
  attending low-performing schools.

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Do not follow where the path may lead. Go
instead where there is no path and leave a
trail. Unknown
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Select references

• Boss, S., Railsback, J. (2002). Summer school
  programs A look a research, implications for
  practice, and program sampler. Portland, OR
  Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory.
• Denton, D. (2002). Summer school Unfulfilled
  promise. Atlanta, GA Southern Regional Education
  Board.
• Schwendiman, J., Fager, J. (1999). After-school
  programs Good for kids, good for communities.
  Portland, OR Northwest Regional Educational
  Laboratory.
• Fortune, A., Padgette, H. C., Fickel, L.
  (2005). Using NCLB funds to support extended
  learning time. Opportunities for afterschool
  programs. The Finance Project and The Council of
  Chief State School Officers.

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For more information contact

• Colleen Klein Reutebuch
• [phone]
• cjklein_at_austin.rr.com