Extended Learning Time

October 27, 2009Board of Education (Study)

Joseph Miller

Extended Learning: academic learning time beyond the

traditional school day or calendar.

Why Extended Time?

Academic Achievement

1

1 in 3

Students return to school having lost learning over the summer.

-15%

Lexile 819 (grade level for 5th grade)

Lexile 505 (grade level for 3rd grade)

NationalMomentum (is

building)

2

“Our school calendar is based upon the agrarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today.” -Arne Duncan (Quoted in AP Article September 27, 2009)

"Now, I know longer school days and school years are not wildly popular ideas…But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom." -President Barack Obama (Quoted in AP Article September 27, 2009)

Country Number of Days

TIMSS Scores

Japan 243 605

S. Korea 220 607

Israel 216 522

Luxembourg 216 ?

Netherlands 200 541

Thailand 200 522

Hong Kong 195 588

England 192 506

Finland 190 ?

Nigeria 190 ?

United States 180 500

What does the research say

about summer loss and extend

time?

“Summer achievement loss is particularly evident in reading ability. While many students show loss in reading skills over the summer months, low income students, who do not have access to books in the home, experience an average loss in reading achievement of two months." -Cooper (1996)

“When Adams 14 students are compared to academically similar students the Adams 14 students significantly greater academic loss over the summer months than their peers nationally.” -Adams 14 Study (2009)

Gap Widens

Continuous year calendars do not stop summer loss. -Adams 14 (Year Round/Continuous Year Calendar Research Report)

Degree of Learning = Time spent learningTime needed to learn

Carroll (1963)

“A recent literature review failed to find strong evidence supporting the belief that an extended school year (or longer school day) in the other countries is a significant cause of greater student achievement.”

The equation is more complex than time alone…

Academic Learning =

Allocated Time x Student Engagement x Successful Learning

Summary

High quality instructional practices that engage students in rigorous content must be in place for more time to be effective.

#1

The Adams 14 Strategy

To improve student achievement so that  80% of students assessed will be on grade level by 2014 by ensuring that each classroom has a dynamic, standards-based teacher who provides powerful 21st century learning experiences to all students.

Summer learning loss is significant and must be addressed. Targeted summer school must be in place to reduce this loss.

#2

What next?

Support the implementation of district strategy—improved teaching practice (this will require supporting efforts to increase the amount of PD for teachers).

#1

Push for more allocated time (if it equals academic time). This also includes a “jumpstart” in the summer for certain grades to stem the loss.

#2

Support efforts to prepare students for school (birth to KG can help by bringing more students into school on grade-level).

#3