experienceBELL.org

Summer Learning Partnership Report

BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

2014

Smarter Summers: Expanding Learning Time to Increase Student Achievement

784 Scholars Served

4-8 Grades Served

144 Total Hours of

Summer Learning

86% Average Daily Attendance

+3.1 Average Grade-Equivalent

Reading Gain, in Months,

Underperforming Scholars**

+5.9 Average Grade-Equivalent

Math Gain, in Months,

Underperforming Scholars**

77% Teachers reporting that

scholars increased their

self-confidence

89% Parents reporting that

scholars enjoyed their

summer learning

experience

89% Parents reporting they

became more involved in

their scholar’s education

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* BELL also partnered with Boston Public Schools to strengthen

summer learning opportunities for English language learners in

2014.

** “Underperforming” scholars score in the lowest quartile on STAR

assessments at the start of the summer: Urgent Intervention (1-10th

percentile) or Intervention (11-25th percentile).

Partnership Design

BELL is a Boston-based nonprofit organization that

partners with schools and community organizations to

expand learning time for students in grades K-8. Since

1992, BELL has worked to transform the academic

achievements, self-confidence, and life trajectories of

children living in under-resourced, urban communities.

Summer learning activities play an important role in a

child’s academic success, as well as their social, physical,

and emotional development. Without structured summer

learning activities children lose two months of reading

and math skills. By the time a child completes the 8th

grade, this summer learning loss is responsible for

approximately 66% of the academic achievement gap

between children from low-income families and their

higher-income peers. In addition, children who lack

structured summer learning activities tend to gain weight

and be more likely to engage in negative social behavior,

exacerbating the community need for more and better

summer learning opportunities for at-risk children.

Boston Public Schools (BPS) and BELL have a history of

partnering to expand learning time in the summer and

after school. From 2011 – 2013, BPS and BELL worked

together to expand summer learning opportunities for

struggling middle school students. Encouraged by 3 years

of consistent and strong outcomes, BPS and BELL

extended our partnership to serve 4th and 5th graders in

2014, replacing the district-led summer promotion

program (summer school) with BELL’s program model.*

In addition, BELL piloted an 8th grade summer program

designed to prepare at-risk scholars for high school.

The Smarter Summers partnership served scholars at 11

BPS school sites at no cost to families. Through

combining resources and expertise, BPS and BELL

delivered a summer learning experience that improved

scholars’ academic and social skills and self-confidence,

while encouraging healthy lifestyles and engaging parents

in their child’s education.

Smarter Summers helped students strengthen the

foundational academic skills they need to advance to the

next grade and begin the new school year ready to excel.

✎PROGRAM GOALS

BELL partnered with BPS to create a summer learning

experience that narrowed the achievement gap by

accelerating scholars’ reading and math achievement.

Additional goals included:

Delivering a high-quality learning experience for

780 scholars.

Increasing scholars’ literacy and math skills.

Strengthening their self-confidence & social skills.

Increasing parental engagement.

Preparing scholars to succeed in school.

✎PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

BELL collaborated with BPS to recruit, select, and train

program leadership teams. Each site was led by a Site

Coordinator, responsible for setting and fulfilling

program goals, supervising staff, and engaging

parents. Site Coordinators also served as the primary

academic officer, overseeing assessment and ensuring

instruction remained consistent with curricula and

program goals. Site Coordinators were supported by

Program Assistants. One day per week, an English

Language Arts or Math Instructional Coach provided

support to help teachers use data to drive instruction.

BELL supported site management by leveraging our

capacity for program planning, curriculum design,

scholar data management, quality assurance,

technical support, payroll & finance, distribution of

program materials, fundraising, and information

systems.

✎PROGRAM STAFFING & TRAINING

BELL collaborated with BPS and school leaders to

recruit and hire certified teachers to lead academic

instruction. BELL also recruited enrichment

instructors, as well as teaching assistants from

colleges, universities, and the school community to

support classrooms and enrichment activities.

Site Coordinators participated in BELL’s

comprehensive leadership training including

classroom-based training, online e-learning (BELL

University), and webinars. With assistance from BELL,

Site Coordinators took the lead in training program

staff, including teachers and teaching assistants, who

also completed e-learning courses. Training focused

on the summer learning program model, utilizing

assessment data to drive instruction, effective

teaching practices, collaborative teaching, and

behavior management. In partnership with local non-

profit PEAR, teaching assistants received an additional

morning of training in behavior management.

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Before coming to BELL Summer, I thought summer school was going to be, like, really bad, just being in a

classroom all day. But now, I just think of BELL Summer as something like a fun school, where you can do fun

stuff, but you have to also do your work. - Francisco, 6th Grade (2nd from left in photo, above)

Orchard Gardens K-8 School

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Partnership Checklist

Summer Program Management

Academic Curricula & Supplies

Enrichment Curricula & Supplies

Student Enrollment & Attendance

Staff Recruitment

Staff Hiring & Training

Field Trips & Community Service

Parent Engagement

Assessment & Evaluation

Classrooms & School Facilities

Snack & Meal Service

Philanthropic Funding

Public Funding & In-Kind Contributions

✎FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Family involvement is always a key component of

Smarter Summers. At each site, the program

leadership team worked diligently to engage parents

and guardians, as well as share our program model,

goals for scholars, and requirements for adult

involvement. Program staff members provided regular

updates to parents on their children’s progress and

challenges through phone calls, progress reports, and

mid-program parent-teacher conferences. Parents

were invited to join scholars at school for “Bring Your

Parent to School Day.” Parents were also invited to

attend a Closing Ceremony celebration, at which

scholars presented on their summer learning

experience, as well as creatively expressed their

thoughts and feelings about their summer experience

through skits, presentations, displays of writing and

artwork, and songs.

✎SCHOLARS SERVED

BPS suggested criteria for scholar enrollment to

principals, who then selected scholars in grades 4-8

based on attendance, MCAS scores, and risk of grade-

level retention. BELL facilitated enrollment efforts by

collecting enrollment forms, creating scholar files,

clustering scholars, and maintaining communication

with parents.

Scholars were assigned to schools located in their

neighborhoods, so the majority of scholars were

dropped off by their parents or walked to and from the

summer program each day. BELL applied BPS’

transportation policy of providing reduced-price Charlie

Cards to be used on public transportation for scholars

who were unable to walk or secure other

transportation.

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Scholar Enrollment & Attendance Scholars Served Average Daily

Attendance

Harvard Kent Elementary School 24 87%

Hennigan Elementary School 87 82%

Jackson Mann K-8 School 30 69%

Condon Elementary School 23 86%

Lee Elementary School 108 88%

Mattahunt Elementary School 81 85%

McCormack Middle School 83 87%

McKay K-8 School 69 85%

Orchard Gardens K-8 School 119 83%

Quincy Elementary School 81 89%

Tech Boston Academy 79 88%

Total 784 86%

✎THEMES

All summer long, scholars were encouraged to Be

Extraordinary, the program’s motto. The theme I Am

The Future was woven into the program through

activities focused on college- and career-readiness and

healthy lifestyles. During College Pride Week scholars

learned about the college experience and how success

in school is connected to success in life. On Field Day,

designed in partnership with Playworks, they

participated in active team-building games.

✎PROGRAM SCHEDULE

The program operated 6 hours per day, 5 days per

week, for 5 weeks. In sum, the program expanded

learning time by a total of 144 hours. The program

started July 7 and concluded on August 7. The daily

schedule started at 8:00 am and ended at 2:00 pm.

Program Design ✎SUMMER LEARNING CORE ESSENTIALS & VALUES

The Smarter Summers program design is guided by the

principals of effective summer learning, which are (1) a

culture of high expectations; (2) partnerships to

magnify impact; (3) an exceptional learning

environment, including a 2:20 staff to scholar ratio; (4)

teaching excellence; and (5) relevant & engaging

learning experiences that broaden scholars’

educational horizons while developing 21st Century

skills. Scholars and staff are always expected to model

core program values: Quality, Empowerment, Respect,

Courage, and Sacrifice.

Ocean

Exploratorium Peabody Museum

Squashbusters Trolley Tour

State Street MIT Museum

Arboretum Dreams of

Freedom Museum

Rock Spot

Climbing State House Concord Museum JFK Museum Boston Duck Tour

MIT Reactor Ernst & Young Boston Sports

Museum

Isabella Stewart

Gardner Museum Tenacity

Blue Hills

Reservation

Cubist

Pharmaceuticals ICA Museum

Museum of

Science Freedom Trail

Boston Harbor

Cruise Franklin Park

FRIDAY FIELD TRIPS & FIELD DAYS

Each week culminates in field trips and

special events. Scholars visit scientific and

cultural institutions and participate in a

Field Day of physical and team-building

activities at the site. Volunteers from

Junior Achievement support community

engagement activities.

STEM Nutrition

Music Dance

Creative Writing

BREAKFAST & COMMUNITY TIME

Scholars enjoy a nutritious breakfast provided by the school. After breakfast, scholars

participate in team-building activities to build social skills and strong relationships with

peers and staff.

LITERACY INSTRUCTION

Certified teachers lead 90 minutes of literacy instruction using Pearson curriculum. My

Sidewalks is tailored for elementary school students and focuses on the priority skills

critical for student success: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and

comprehension. It provides teachers with highly specific instructions and explicit,

consistent, easy-to-follow lessons.

For middle school instruction, teachers use The Reader’s Journey curriculum from Prentice

Hall / Pearson. It is an anchor book-based language arts program that spans fiction and

non-fiction, poetry, drama, and the research process.

MATH INSTRUCTION

Certified teachers lead 90 minutes of math instruction using the curriculum developed by

Pearson. Math Navigator (Common Core Edition) uses targeted intervention modules to

build conceptual understanding, problem solving, and mathematical skills. It is designed

as a supplemental program for scholars in grades K-8, supporting all eight of the Common

Core’s Standards of Mathematical Practice.

LUNCH

Scholars enjoy a healthy lunch provided by the federal Summer Food Service Program.

ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

After lunch and recess, scholars rotate

through a series of fun, hands-on enrichment

activities. Partners such as Playworks and the

Massachusetts Cultural Council supply some

of the staff, training, and enrichment

curricula. Activities are designed to foster

critical 21st Century skills like teamwork and

leadership, while boosting scholars’ self-

confidence and exposing them to new

subjects and opportunities.

8:00

8:30

10:00

11:30

12:30

1:00

2:00

12:00

BELL SUMMER PROGRAM: SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE (Monday - Thursday)

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Impact Measurement

Smarter Summers significantly exceeded all of the

following outcome targets:

• Students who are underperforming at the start of the

summer will gain at least one month of grade-

equivalent skills instead of experiencing the average

two months summer learning loss.

• At least 75% of scholars will demonstrate improved

self-confidence and social skills.

• At least 75% of parents will report that they became

more engaged in their child’s education.

✎ COMPUTER-ADAPTIVE ASSESSMENTS

Teachers used a computer adaptive assessment and

evaluation tool called STAR Enterprise Assessments,

by Renaissance Learning, on a pre- and post-program

basis. STAR assessments are built for measuring

progress against Common Core standards. Scholars

completed the STAR Reading and STAR Math multiple-

choice assessments via computer, laptop, or tablet.

The assessments adapted to scholar answers; if a

scholar selected the correct answer, the next question

became more difficult, if the scholar answered

incorrectly, the next question became easier. The

adaptive quality of these assessments enabled staff

to hone in on the specific learning needs of each

scholar. It also allowed staff to group scholars

according to common needs and deliver data-driven

instruction.

✎ ATTENDANCE DATA

BELL managed scholar enrollment and tracked

attendance data in an online Scholar Management

System powered by Salesforce.com. Scholars were

expected to attend at least 80% of the time. In

addition, scholars were only allowed three absences,

given the strong positive correlation between learning

time and academic and social outcomes. Program

leaders integrated enrollment and attendance data

with staffing and quality indicators to optimize the

learning environment. Program staff also used fun,

positive incentives to encourage attendance.

✎ TEACHER SURVEYS

BELL used a teacher and teaching assistant survey

instrument to assess program implementation and

efficacy from the perspective of instructional staff.

Teachers and teaching assistants completed the

anonymous survey at the end of the program, which

included questions regarding scholars’ progress,

training, curricula, program staff and service, and

parent engagement.

✎ PARENT SURVEYS

BELL employed a parent survey instrument to assess

parent observations of scholar improvement, program

quality, and parent satisfaction. Parents completed

the anonymous survey on-site during the final week of

the program.

3.1

1.4

5.9

3.8

-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

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-2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

GRADE-EQUIVALENT GAINS IN BELL SUMMER VS. SUMMER LEARNING LOSS

Average Grade-Equivalent Gains,

in Months

Average Gain in Reading Skills,

All Scholars

Average Gain in Reading Skills,

Underperforming* Scholars

Average Summer Learning Loss,

Disadvantaged Students without

Summer Learning Opportunities**

Average Gain in Math Skills,

All Scholars

Average Gain in Math Skills,

Underperforming* Scholars

Scholar Achievement

✎ GRADE-EQUIVALENT GAINS

Grade-equivalent gains are an important indicator of

student success because they provide an absolute

measure of how much a student has progressed up

the proficiency ladder at a time when most children

are not engaged in structured learning activities. A

full grade level contains ten months of

grade-equivalent skills development (i.e., based on an

average school year of learning from September –

June). In other words, a gain of 1 grade-equivalent

month is equal to what an average student learns in

10% of a school year.

At the start of the Smarter Summers, STAR results

provided teachers with baseline indicators of scholar

performance along with individualized learning plans.

Approximately 72% of scholars started the program

underperforming in reading, and 58% were

underperforming in math.*

* Underperforming scholars score in the lowest quartile on STAR assessments: Urgent Intervention (1-10th percentile) or Intervention (11-25th percentile)

** Sources

McCombs et al. (2011). Making Summer Count: How Summer Programs Can Boost Children’s Learning. Rand Education & The Wallace Foundation.

Cooper, Harris (2003). Summer Learning Loss: The Problem & Some Solutions. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary & Early Childhood Education.

Assessment data from the end of Smarter Summers

show that scholars gained significant grade-equivalent

reading and math skills. Gains were greatest for

scholars who were furthest behind at the start of the

summer. On average, underperforming scholars

gained 3.1 months of reading skills and 5.9 months of

math skills. All scholars – including scholars who

started the summer at or near grade level, achieved

average gains of 1.4 months of grade-equivalent

reading skills and 3.8 months of math skills.

BELL scholars’ grade-equivalent academic growth

shows that participating Smarter Summers had a

positive impact on reading and math achievement.

The return on investment was greatest for scholars

who were struggling academically and who had the

most to gain from high-quality summer learning

opportunities.

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87%

76%

89%

89%

86%

88%

77%

77%

83%

72%

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

Scholars are more confident in their abilities

Scholars have a more positive attitude about school

Scholars enjoyed the BELL Summer program

The BELL Summer program helped me become more involved in mychild's education

I am highly satisfied with my BELL Summer experience

I recommend the BELL Summer program to other parents

Scholars have more confidence in themselves

I recommend the BELL Summer program to parents

Program staff are diverse and reflect scholar diversity

Working with BELL helped me develop my professional skills

✎ SELF-CONFIDENCE & SOCIAL SKILLS

Scholars’ academic success is rooted in their self-

efficacy skills, determination, and social skills,

including their ability to communicate clearly and work

well with others. Teachers and parents consistently

reported that scholars’ participation in Smarter

Summers helped them make important gains in these

areas. Such a positive impact can be attributed to a

culture of high expectations, high-quality staff, a small

staff to scholar ratio, and an individualized learning

environment.

✎ PARENT & TEACHER ENGAGEMENT & SATISFACTION

Teachers and parents consistently reported that the

BELL Summer program was of high quality and met or

exceeded their expectations. Teachers reported that the

program structure and resources helped scholars

achieve the goals set forth for them. They also reported

that Smarter Summers helped them develop their

professional skills. Parents reported that the model

boosted their involvement in their child’s education – an

outcome that is proven to have significant long-term

impact on student achievement in school and beyond.

Teachers report:

Parents report:

PARENT & TEACHER SURVEY RESULTS

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9

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Public & Private Funding

BELL and BPS share responsibility for program costs.

This year, approximately 45% of program-related

expenses were covered by the school district, 35% by

local contributions to BELL, and 20% from national

contributions.

✎ BELL

BELL worked diligently to raise philanthropic funding

from local and national sources to cover a portion of

program expenses. A local Leadership Council

supported fundraising in Boston. Donors supporting

this summer learning partnership include:

Associated Grant Makers’ Summer Fund

Anonymous

Bain Capital Children’s Charity

The Baupost Group

BJ’s Charitable Foundation

Charles Hayden Foundation

Cradle to Career – The Philanthropic Initiative

Cogan Family Foundation

Cubist Pharmaceuticals

Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation

Ernst & Young

Grand Circle Associates’ Fund

Harbus Foundation

Reebok Foundation

Robert Treat Paine Association

State Street

United Way of Mass. Bay and Merrimack Valley

BELL raised additional funds from individual donors,

anonymous sources, and from national sources

including the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and

The Wallace Foundation. Events such as our I Am The

Future Gala also support BELL’s partnership with BPS.

✎ BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BPS and its schools contributed public funding and in-

kind resources to support program costs, including

classroom space, utilities, janitorial services, and

breakfast and lunch each day.

✎ BOSTON OPPORTUNITY AGENDA

A coalition of donors supporting Boston’s Summer

Learning Project, an initiative of Boston After School

and Beyond, also provided resources for this

partnership.

✎ MA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Paul Reville, Chair

Francis Keppel Professor of Practice and Educational

Policy & Administration, Harvard Graduate School of

Education

Tracy Brown

Vice President of Compliance, Fidelity Investments

William Huff

Former President, Boston Globe

Lynne Palmer

BELL Event Committee Co-Chair

Dr. Robert Peterkin

Professor Emeritus, Harvard Graduate School of

Education

Jeff Simmons

Partner, Raphael & Raphael, LLP

Michelle Wilver

Former President and CEO, Dynavox

We all know that learning is important, but

the BELL Summer approach really takes the

time to help scholars understand why

learning is so important. In the BELL

Summer program, we are not just making

students who can do problems; we’re

helping build students who are going to be

teachers and learners for their whole life.

- Ms. Ronga, BELL Summer teacher

experienceBELL.org

✎ CONTACT US

Sue Bonaiuto

Executive Director (Massachusetts)

(617) 462 - 4779

Sue.Bonaiuto@experienceBELL.org