Building a Better School Day and Year with Expanded Learning Time

1. Building a Better School Day and Year with Expanded Learning Time

2. NCTL Approach Our Typical Approach • 300 hours additional for ALL students • Identification of school-wide focus that drives all aspects of the new school day or year • Inclusive planning process over multiple months that builds buy-in and commitment • District sets specific guidelines on budget, staffing, compensation, additional time, etc • Rethinking the day and year from the ground up • Significant re-engineering of the schedule, staffing, and use of resources

3. Agenda DCPS Proving What’s Possible • Limited time frame for planning and getting people on board • Timeframe affects ability to expand learning time for ALL students • Plans due in one week!! Today’s Call • A few key lessons • Push your thinking some with out of the box ideas • A few concrete strategies to pursue and resources you can access

4. Eight Powerful Practices at High Performing Expanded Time Schools OPTIMIZE TIME FOR STUDENT LEARNING USE TIME TO HELP STUDENTS THRIVE IN SCHOOL AND BEYOND DEDICATE TIME TO IMPROVING TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS 1 Make Every Minute Count 4 Build a School Culture of High Expectations & Mutual Accountability 7 Continuously Strengthen Instruction 2 Prioritize Time to Focus on a Small Set of School-wide Goals 8 Relentlessly Analyze and Respond to Data 5 Provide a Well-Rounded Education 3 Individualize Learning Time and Instruction based on Student Needs 6 Prepare Students for College and Career

5. Focus, Focus, Focus! • What is your school’s single highest priority of these? • Your additional time should focus on that one priority • Schools who try to add too many programs, projects, activities, priorities waste their additional time, exhaust staff, and get little to no results Resources on Focused Learning Time • http://www.timeandlearning.org/focus-learning-time

6. Start with Student Need and Data! Use data about your students’ needs to drive your decisions on expanding time Examples: • Targeted Intervention & Acceleration: DCAS, end of year or beginning of year inventories • Engaging Enrichment: What skills do your students need? What interests do they have? Resources on Using Data Effectively • http://www.timeandlearning.org/analyze-and-respond-data

7. What is cutting edge? • Flexible Scheduling • Technology based interventions to stretch the day and resources • Summer learning as induction, preview, and to start strong • Strategic utilization of staff • Use of partners throughout the day and not just after school The Most Important Concept The Student Day can be longer than the Teacher Day The Student Year can be longer than the Teacher Year

8. 200 School Days for Students, 180 Work Days for Teachers, No Additional Cost To offer Intensives and a longer school year for students, Brooklyn Generations has two sets of teachers. 8

9. Expanded Day for Students, Same Day for Teachers Sample 5th Grade Student K-3/Specialists 4-5/Special Ed Support Staff 1 Support Staff 2 Bfast/Arrival Bfast/Arrival Announcements Announcements Announcements Classroom Support Special Classroom Instruction, Prep Technology Classroom Support Classroom Instruction, Prep Math Core Reading Core Lunch Recess Writing Workshop Interventions Science/SS Ramp Up Dism issal Dismissal Dismissal

10. Individualized & Targeted Support The Basics • An additional academic period for each student targeted to specific needs • Smaller groups of students that share similar needs • Could be intervention or acceleration • Based on regular, systematic analysis of data by teacher teams • Strategically matching teacher strengths with student needs Examples • Intervention Blocks integrated into day or at end of day • Technology-based, adaptive learning • 2:1 or 3:1 Tutoring • Acceleration Academies (Vacations) • Saturday Sessions Videos, Tools, School Profiles • http://www.timeandlearning.org/individualize-instruction

11. Acceleration Academies: The Basics What it is • 5 days of additional learning time that occurs during February and/or April vacation • Targeted to students’ individual learning needs • Targeted to specific students who will best take hold of opportunity • Small group instruction (12:1) • Only delivered by exemplary teachers The Essentials • Targeted to students’ individual learning needs identified using pre-academy ELA or mathematics assessment data • Recruit high quality staff from local district and others using incentives (high quality professional development and stipends) • Daily Enrichment between 2 two-hour academic blocks • Incentives for students for perfect attendance • Acceleration Academies Video • http://www.timeandlearning.org/individualize-instruction

12. Teacher Collaboration The Basics • Focused with common content, goals • Structured – with common approach, protocols, agendas, and note takers • Data-based – interim assessments, student work, teacher work • Process for teams to share their progress and hold each other accountable Examples • Slightly longer teaching day on some days that allows for shorter teaching day and more collaboration time on another day • Peer Observations • In-school department meetings, cluster meetings Videos, Tools, School Profiles • http://www.timeandlearning.org/strengthen-instruction

13. Adding Time for Engaging, Enrichment The Basics • Enrichment opportunities reflect student interests • Start with exposure and offer opportunities for mastery and specialization • Create partnerships that bring in outside expertise and leverage the skills of teachers Examples • Students enroll in an elective class along with other daily enrichment classes • Elective courses conclude with culminating project • Community service opportunities in organizations of student interest • After school activities and clubs led by student interest Videos, Tools, School Profiles • http://www.timeandlearning.org/deepen-student-engagement

14. Recap Start with • Focus – add time to address your most important need • Student Needs – use data to identify individual student needs in your focus area • Support Teachers -- Add time for student learning and to support teachers in the focus area Concrete Possibilities Adding time for ALL students: Staggering teaching start times, use partners, and technology If you can’t add time for ALL students, then try: • Targeted Intervention & Acceleration blocks for some students during the school day • Acceleration Academies & Saturday Sessions • Summer learning blocks just prior to school starting

15. www.timeandlearning.org