Hosted by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education and Massachusetts 2020
On October 15th, Mass 2020 and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education co-hosted a day-long summit, “More Time for Learning: Increased Learning Time Strategies to Catalyze School Turnaround” for the state’s Level 4 districts and schools. Ten districts from around the state brought together teams of principals, teachers, union leaders, and administrators to learn how to effectively increase learning time in order to rapidly accelerate student achievement and improve student engagement.
Attendees participated in sessions filled with examples, case studies, and lessons learned from schools that have produced results with more learning time. Detailed information on each session and the accompanying resources are below. Both the sessions and resources draw from our guiding principles for effectively increasing learning time.
Maximizing the Effectiveness of the Time You Have Now
Adding time to the school day or year only makes sense if you also improve the effectiveness of the time you currently have. Participants in this session will come away understanding they need to look within their current school day first– before increasing learning time - to identify areas where their use of time can be improved. Assessing how your school currently uses time within a school day and across a year should be a first step in planning for ILT.
Additional Resources:
1. Session Overview
2. Presentation Powerpoint
3. Checklist for Maximizing the Effectiveness of Time
4. Mass 2020 Schedule Analysis Tool and completed sample
5. Mass 2020 Quality Time Analysis Tool, guidebook, and completed sample.
Effective Use of Teacher Collaboration Time to Advance Student Achievement: A Case Study
A critical success factor in increasing learning time effectively for students is increasing and improving learning time for teachers. When adding any time for collaborative planning, professional development, or team meetings, schools must ensure this time is structured, focused on strengthening instruction, based on student data, and directly connected to a small set of school-wide goals. Teachers work with each other by analyzing lessons and student work as well as observing each other in an effort to strengthen core instruction.
Additional Resources:
1. Session Overview
2. Presentation Powerpoint
3. Teacher Collaboration Key Principles Framework
4. Instructional Rounds at Jacob Hiatt Magnet School Profile
5. Teacher Collaboration at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School Profile
6. Jacob Hiatt Magnet School Instructional Rounds Video
Using Increased Learning Time for Individualized Instruction and Tiered Support
One of the most effective ways to increase learning time is to offer an additional block of time for academic support that is tailored to student needs. This time is especially effective as it is organized as tiered support so students who need additional Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions receive them. Depending on the grade level and the support needed, structures and approaches will vary.
Additional Resources:
1. Session Overview
2. Presentation Powerpoint
3. Key Principles in Individualized Academic Support
4. Edwards Middle School Academic League Profile and Video
5. Excel Academy Middle School Individual Support Profile
6. Jacob Hiatt Magnet Elementary School Math Support Profile
Differentiating Academic Support in an Expanded School Day
With more time, schools can differentiate student support and intervention much more effectively. The session will build on the topic introduced in “Using Increased Learning Time for Individualized Instruction and Tiered Support” by profiling two specific programs that have been very effective at differentiating academic support for students within expanded time schools.
Additional Resources:
1. Session Overview
2. Presentation Powerpoint
3. Presentation Powerpoint of Academic Leagues at Edwards Middle School
4. Presentation Powerpoint of Tutors For All
Beyond an Expanded School Day—Targeted Support for Struggling Students
For students who struggle most academically, additional instructional supports above and beyond an expanded school day are critical. Learning opportunities after school, during the summer months and school vacation weeks, and even on Saturdays provide the academic resources some students need to achieve at high levels.
Additional Resources:
1. Session Overview
2. Presentation Powerpoint
3. Profiles: Harvard Kent After School Math Support; MATCH High School Weekend
Tutoring; Edwards Middle School Acceleration Academies; and An Achievable Dream
Middle and High School Summer Session.
4. Edwards Acceleration Academies Video
Using Adaptive Technology and Increased Learning Time to Drive Student Gains
Increasingly, schools are turning to technology as a cost effective way to provide additional tiered support to students and up-to-the-minute student data to teachers. Schools with more learning time are better able to utilize this new technology to supplement and reinforce teacher-led learning and drive student gains.
Additional Resources:
1. Session Overview
2. Presentation Powerpoint
3. Tech Readiness Audit
4. Content Provider List
5. Rocketship Hybrid School Model Profile
6. Frederick Middle School One to One Laptop Profile
7. Longsjo Middle School Profile
8. School of One Profile
Getting to an 8-Hour Day – Adding More Time than You Think You Can
Budgets, staffing, and negotiated agreements don’t have to place strict limits on the length of the school day. It is essential that schools, districts, teachers and school communities think creatively about resources in order to maximize learning time. Staffing, scheduling, and strategically using partnerships can help schools stretch their resources so student learning time increases much more than teacher and staff time does. Finding creative solutions for resource use allows increased learning time strategies to be both more cost effective and sustainable over the long term.
Additional Resources:
1. Session Overview
2. Presentation Powerpoint
3. Generation High School Staggered Schedules Profile
4. Grabiarz Middle School of Excellence Staggered Schedules Profile
5. Citizen Schools Profile
6. A.C. Whelan Elementary School Playworks Profile
Engaging the Whole Child – Enrichment and Academics Working Together
There are multiple approaches to integrating enrichment into the school day in ways that support and complement core academics, such as adding an elective period that offers students a range of options, taught by regular teachers, specialists, and/or outside partners; expand the time allotted for specialty classes such as art, music, PE and computers or embed enrichment in core academic subjects by inviting community partners to offer programming that is aligned with specific curricular goals. Regardless of the approach, there are several essential ideas regarding what makes an effective enrichment program.
Additional Resources:
1. Session Overview
2. Presentation Powerpoint
3. Profiles: Cultural Partners at Jacob Hiatt, Citizen Schools Partnerships, Arts Integration
at Salemwood K-8 School, and Theater Program at Kuss Middle School, City Sprouts
4. Sample Enrichment Planning template
5. Quality Partnerships Tool
