GradNation Community Summits
Expanded Learning Toolkit
Guide Content
1. Introduction
2. Resources and Best Practices (GradNation.org)
3. Speaker Recommendations
4. Additional Alliance Partners
5. Multi-Media and Suggested Reading
6. Summit Conveners
1. Introduction
Every young person deserves the same broad range of opportunities: engaging and challenging classes in every subject, enriching encounters with the arts, fun physical activities and healthy nutrition, and guided explorations of possible careers. Some of our children and youth already enjoy these experiences, thanks to good schools, creative out-of-school programs, and sufficient family resources. But too many children today miss out on one or more of them. They may come up short – and so may our country because of the potential that’s lost. Expanded learning opportunities (ELO) – in the form of extended school days, afterschool, or summer learning—can be a crucial part of filling those gaps and preparing our young people for success.
Identifying the needs of local young people is a crucial first step to creating effective ELO programs. That step needs to be followed with two more:
- Ensuring quality. Whatever the goal of a specific program – enrichment, health and wellness, or something else – there need to be clear goals and relevant metrics that together help determine whether participants are benefitting. That feedback will then lead to ways to improve the program.
- Integrating with the school day. ELO programs need not be an extension of what students experience in the course of a traditional school setting; in fact, often they are more beneficial if they cover different material in a different style. But there should be coordination in order to provide young people the maximum benefit and to make the most efficient use of resources.
2. Resources and Best Practices (GradNation.org)
Visit the Expanded Learning Channel on GradNation.org where you will find a large variety of resoruces and best practices on this topic.
3. Speaker recommendations
There are a number of organizations across the country that can identify compelling speakers who have expertise in various expanded learning opportunities. You can learn more about them on the organizations’ websites. Also, if you would like to discuss additional speaker options, please contact your Summit Manager.
Afterschool Alliance: http://www.afterschoolalliance.org
National Center on Time and Learning: http://www.timeandlearning.org/
National Summer Learning Association: http://www.summerlearning.org/
The Statewide Afterschool Networks: http://www.statewideafterschoolnetworks.net
Additionally, the Expanding Learning, Expanding Opportunities resource guide from America’s Promise provides links to organizations that offer advice on establishing strong systems.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7JRYx3gKIk
4. Additional Alliance Partners
View our list of Alliance Partners for information about their work and for potential local engagement and/or strategy development regarding your summit. IF you would like to make a connection, contact your Summit Manager at America’s Promise, who can help facilitate an introduction.
5. Multi-Media and Suggested Reading
Expanding Learning, Expanding Opportunities is an eight-minute video that features comments from Gen. Colin Powell, highlighting ELO programs with documented results:
http://www.americaspromise.org/Our-Work/Grad-Nation/Expanded-Learning.aspx
Expanded Learning Time through Community Partners features teachers and administrators from ELT schools across Massachusetts and explains how their schools utilize community partners, such as the YMCA, to provide a well-rounded curriculum:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8JQP9KBN8I&feature=youtu.be
Expanding Minds and Opportunities: Leveraging the Power of Afterschool and Summer Learning for Student Success is an impressively extensive compendium focused on afterschool and summer learning programs. It includes examples of effective practices, programs and partnerships:
http://expandinglearning.org/expandingminds/section-iii-recent-evidence-impact
PBS NewsHour- Year Round School Commits to Students from Middle School to Last Day of College: http://www.gradnation.org/gradnation-community-summits-toolbox
Time to Succeed Coalition Expanded Learning Time Explainer explains how the agrarian school calendar no longer serves our students, especially those from high-poverty communities:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOvJrS6YV8M
The Wallace Foundation, one of the leading funders of research on expanded learning, has supported the creation of two videos:
· “Afterschool: Hours of Opportunity” talks with leaders from Johns Hopkins University, the Baltimore Public Schools, and exceptional afterschool programs to highlight the benefits that quality afterschool programs can provide.
· “Better Together: Boosting Afterschool by Building Citywide Systems” interviews a range of program providers and policy experts to illustrate why systems are so important to quality programs.
http://www.wallacefoundation.org/view-latest-news/events-and-presentations/Pages/VIDEO-Afterschool-and-Afterschool-Systems.aspx
6. Summit Conveners
Reach out to other summit conveners that have focused their work on expanded learning. Connect and learn from your peers about promising practices, what’s working in their local area, what they are challenged by and what’s been happening in the community around the issue since the summit adjourned.
Rochester Area Community Foundation
Mairead Hartmann
Metro United Way
TJ Delahanty
Expanded Learning Opportunities Toolkit 3