READy Scholars: Boosting Grade-Level Reading through a Summer Learning Partnership CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS 2015
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Reading with Drew “Drew likes to listen,” explained Mikeya, “So I can tell him about why bees like flowers.”
That’s because Drew is the teddy bear of golden retrievers.
“Drew is a wonderful volunteer,” said Ms. Craig, the Instructional Coach in BELL’s grade-level reading program, READy Scholars, at the Barringer Academic Center in Charlotte. Mikeya and her third grade classmates are taking turns reading The Buzz on Bees to Drew on a Wednesday morning in July. “He just has this special ability with scholars who aren’t yet comfortable reading aloud in front of their classmates. With Drew, those same scholars become eager and able narrators.
A partnership between Barringer Academic Center, BELL, and Therapy Dogs International brings Drew to spend a couple of mornings each week working with scholars as they strengthen their core reading skills. He visits two or three classrooms each time he is at the school, but his impact is seen every day. After spending some time with Drew, scholars who began the summer struggling to read aloud gained a new sense of confidence and excitement about reading as Drew happily hung out with them.
His approach is a bit different than the rest of the teaching team at Barringer. He likes to lie down during reading time. He makes a great pillow. And he didn’t participate in the same training and professional development that the rest of the team completed.
“It’s just a wonderful partnership,” said Ms. Craig. “It’s a great example of what makes the summer space such a wonderful opportunity to do different things that are much more challenging to try during the school year.” Dontray agrees, as he awaits his turn to read. “I could read all day,” he said.
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Summer Learning Partnership Report Partnership Design This report describes the summer learning activities & outcomes of a partnership between BELL (Building Educated Leaders for Life) and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS). BELL is a nonprofit organization that partners with schools and community organizations to expand learning time for students in grades K-8. Our mission is to transform the academic achievements, self-confidence and life trajectories of children living in under-resourced communities. Because BELL believes that all children can learn, we recognize students as “scholars.” Summer learning activities play an important role in a child’s academic success, as well as their social, physical, and emotional development. Studies show that, without summer learning activities, children tend to lose reading and math skills, gain weight, and face increased risks of negative social behavior. By the time a child completes the 8th grade, summer learning loss can account for up to 2/3 of the academic achievement gap between children from low-income families and their higher-income peers. This partnership was designed to mitigate summer learning loss for the participating scholars. BELL has partnered with schools and community organizations to expand summer learning opportunities in Charlotte since 2009. Encouraged by consistent and strong program quality and student outcomes, in 2015 the school district invited BELL to deliver its grade-level reading program, READy Scholars, to help scholars achieve proficiency as defined by North Carolina’s Read to Achieve legislation, while also building their selfconfidence and social skills while encouraging healthy lifestyles and engaging parents in their child’s education. The summer learning partnership helped students strengthen the foundational reading skills they need to advance to the next grade and begin the new school year ready to excel.
2,226 2,3214144 88% +2
Scholars Served Grades Served Total Hours of Summer Learning Average Daily Attendance Average Reading Gain, in Months
91%
Teachers reporting that scholars increased their self-confidence
97%
Parents reporting that scholars enjoyed their summer learning experience
90%
Parents reporting they became more involved in their scholar’s education
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✎ PROGRAM GOALS
BELL and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools worked together to eliminate the summer opportunity gap, accelerate students’ reading achievement, and close the achievement gap. Students were called “scholars” to demonstrate high expectations and were encouraged to “Be Extraordinary,” the program’s motto. Program goals included: ¤ Increase scholars’ literacy skills and help them avoid summer learning loss. ¤ Strengthen scholars’ self-confidence & social skills. ¤ Increase parental engagement.
✎ PROGRAM MANAGEMENT
BELL worked with CMS to recruit, select and train program leadership teams consisting of a Program Manager, Program Assistant, and Instructional Coach. The Program Manager was responsible for setting and fulfilling program goals, supervising staff, and engaging parents. The Instructional Coach served as the primary academic officer, overseeing assessment and ensuring instruction remained consistent with curricula and program goals. The Program Assistant managed logistics, attendance, and parent interactions. Most program leaders are employed as school or district employees during the school year. BELL was responsible for delivering the summer program model, managing quality, and measuring outcomes. The national nonprofit leveraged its capacity for program design & planning; scholar data management; staff recruitment, hiring & training; assessment & evaluation; payroll & finance; distribution of curriculum & supplies; fundraising; and information systems.
✎ PROGRAM STAFFING & TRAINING
BELL collaborated with CMS and host sites to identify and recruit high-performing teachers to lead academic instruction, enrichment instructors to lead afternoon activities, and teaching assistants to support classroom activities.
Program Managers and Instructional Coaches participated in BELL’s comprehensive leadership training, including online e-learning (BELL University), webinars, and classroom-based training. With assistance from BELL, they 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. ✎ SCHOLARS SERVED Scholars were recruited and enrolled based: (1) Third graders who failed the end-of-grade reading test and who chose to participate in the READy Scholars program in order to have a chance to be promoted to the fourth grade with their peers based on additional assessments; (2) Second graders who were struggling in their reading skills who were recommended by school leaders and faculty. The school district facilitated the enrollment process by distributing information about the program, encouraging parents to enroll their children and utilizing the district courier system to collect enrollment forms. BELL supported enrollment by creating and collecting multi-lingual enrollment forms, creating scholar files, clustering scholars, and maintaining communication with parents.
✎ FAMILY ENGAGEMENT Family involvement was a key component of the program, and staff members provided updates to parents on their children’s progress and challenges through phone calls, progress reports, and a midprogram Open House. All parents were invited to attend a Closing Ceremony celebration, at which scholars performed skits, songs, dramas, dances and presentations about their summer learning experience.
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Partnership Checklist Summer Program Management
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Academic Curricula & Supplies
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Enrichment Curricula & Supplies
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Student Enrollment & Attendance
¤
¤
Staff Recruitment
¤
¤
Staff Hiring & Training
¤
Field Trips & Community Service
¤
Parent Engagement
¤
Assessment & Evaluation
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Classrooms & School Facilities
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Snack & Meal Service
¤ ¤
Philanthropic Funding Public Funding & In-Kind Contributions
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Transportation
¤ Scholars Served
Average Daily Attendance
Barringer Academic Center
175
92%
Cotswold
106
83%
Croft
216
92%
Greenway Park
117
89%
Hidden Valley
165
89%
JV Washam
128
88%
JW Grier
270
88%
Pineville
201
82%
Piney Grove
238
85%
Steele Creek
177
89%
Whitewater
204
88%
Winterfield
229
89%
2,226
88%
Scholar Enrollment & Attendance
*scholars were recruited from all elementary schools in the district
Total
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Program Design ✎ CORE ESSENTIALS & VALUES The READy Scholars program is designed to serve students who are performing below grade level and who lack access to high-quality learning opportunities outside of school. The model is guided by principles of effective summer learning, including (1) a culture of high expectations; (2) partnerships to magnify impact; (3) an exceptional learning environment, including a 1:10 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 were expected to model core program values: Excellence, Collaboration, Learning, Respect, Courage.
✎ THEMES All summer long, scholars were encouraged to Be Extraordinary, the program’s motto. Activities focused on college- and career-readiness, healthy lifestyles, and community engagement were woven into academic and enrichment programming. During College Pride Week scholars learned about the college experience and how success in school is connected to success in life.
✎ PROGRAM SCHEDULE The READy Scholars model delivered academic and social enrichment for 6 hours per day, 4 days per week, for 6 weeks. The program started on June 22 and concluded on July 30. The daily schedule started at 8:30 and ended at 2:30. In sum, the program expanded learning time by 144 hours. The summer learning model included the following core elements:
Breakfast + Community Time: Scholars enjoyed a
nutritious breakfast provided by the district. After breakfast, scholars participated in team-building activities to build social skills and strong relationships with peers and staff.
Literacy Instruction: Certified teachers led three hours of literacy instruction each day. BELL equipped teachers with a powerful toolkit of teacher’s guides, scholar workbooks, access to technology and assessment data, and professional development to prepare them for delivering the greatest academic impact in a concentrated summer learning program. Content was scoped out to provide educators with details on whole group, small group, and individualized instructional methods in a rigorous, engaging, and scholar-centered learning environment. Instruction was organized into three parts: Lesson Opener & Read Aloud: Teachers introduced the day’s lesson and text before dividing scholars up into three small groups. Scholars with similar academic needs were grouped together. Reading Stations: Scholars rotated through three reading stations: Small-Group Instruction: Teachers led short, engaging lessons focusing on specific phonics and text structure skills using Common Core-aligned curricula by Scholastic and best practices for reading development and early literacy. Technology Station: Scholars completed digital lessons on laptops or tablets. Independent Practices: Scholars focused on elements such as antonyms, synonyms, prefixes, and suffixes. Working together, they completed short reading and writing activities. Games & Intervention Pull-Outs: Scholars played literacy games or engaged in other hands-on learning while teachers and teaching associates led interventions for struggling readers.
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Lunch & Recess:
Scholars spent 45 minutes eating a healthy lunch and engaging in organized physical activity during recess.
Enrichment Courses:
After lunch, scholars participated in fun, hands-on enrichment activities designed to foster critical 21st Century skills like teamwork and leadership. The activities helped boost scholars’ self-confidence and exposed scholars to new subjects and opportunities.
Field Trips: Each week, scholars participated in field
trips that blended learning and enjoyment. Such trips support scholar learning by exposing scholars to diverse ideas, people, and places, and nurturing increased empathy, tolerance, and critical-thinking skills.
Enrichment Courses Step Aerobics
Art
Drama
Music
JUMP Bunch
African Drumming
Karate
Cooking & Nutrition (STEM)
Field Trips Discovery Place Carolina Raptor Center Pineville Ice House Queens University
Special Events & Guest Speakers Mufaka Dance Studio Mother Minter Story Teller Ramona Big Eagle Native American Culture Program Partnership with the Charlotte Public Library
Impact Measurement The READy Scholars program sought to produce the following outcomes: Scholars will gain at least one month of reading skills, on average, instead of experiencing 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. To measure performance against these outcomes, program leaders used the following tools:
✎ COMPUTER-ADAPTIVE ASSESSMENTS
Teachers used STAR Enterprise Assessments, by Renaissance Learning, on a pre- and post-program basis. The assessments are built for measuring progress against rigorous standards. Scholars completed both the STAR Reading assessments. The multiple-choice assessments, administered via computer, laptop, or tablet, “adapt” based on scholar responses to assessment questions. For example, if a scholar selects the correct answer, the next question becomes more difficult; if the scholar answers incorrectly, the next question becomes easier. The adaptive quality of these assessments enables staff to hone in on the specific learning needs of each scholar. It also allows staff to group scholars according to common needs and deliver small-group, data-driven instruction.
✎ READ TO ACHIEVE STATE TESTS
In addition to BELL’s assessment activities, third grade scholars who failed the end-of-grade reading test and who participated in the READy Scholars program were given a second chance to pass the Read to Achieve test and advance to the fourth grade on time.
✎ 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, 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.
✎ TEACHER SURVEYS
Partners 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 Partners 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.
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Scholar Achievement ✎ ACADEMIC GROWTH
Assessment data from the end of the READy Scholars program show that scholars gained an average of two months of reading skills.
Gains in reading skills are an important indicator of student success because they provide a 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 skills development (i.e., based on an average school year of learning from September – June). To put it another way, a gain of one month is equal to what an average student learns in 10% of a school year.
Scholars’ academic growth suggests that participating in summer learning activities could have a positive impact on academic achievement and eliminate summer learning loss. The data also hints that summer learning opportunities may have the greatest impact on scholars who stand to benefit the most: those who are struggling academically and who need more time-on-task the most.
Teachers utilize formative assessments from the start of the summer to understand each scholar’s learning needs and to inform individualized learning plans.
ACADEMIC GROWTH IN THE READY SCHOLARS PROGRAM VS SUMMER LEARNING LOSS -2
-1
0
1
2
3
+2 Months of Reading Skills
Skills Gained, in Months
-2 Months of Summer Learning Loss Experienced by Disadvantaged Students Without Summer Learning Opportunities* -2
-1
0
1
2
3
* 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 Soluations. ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary & Early Childhood Education.
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âœŽâ€Ż SELF-CONFIDENCE & SOCIAL SKILLS
Scholars’ academic success requires self-efficacy skills, determination, and social skills, including an ability to communicate clearly and work well with others. Teachers and parents consistently reported that scholars’ participation in the READy Scholars program 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 scholar to staff ratio, and an individualized learning environment.
âœŽâ€Ż PARENT & TEACHER ENGAGEMENT & SATISFACTION
PARENT & TEACHER SURVEY RESULTS
Teachers and parents consistently reported that the READy Scholars 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 working as a teacher in READy Scholars 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.
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THE GROWTH MINDSET This summer, program staff and scholars focused on cultivating a growth mindset. In a growth mindset, scholars believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work — brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for short- and long-term achievement. BELL’s culture of high expectations, staff modeling, and transforming mistakes into positive learning opportunities are some of the strategies used to strengthen scholars’ growth mindset. End-of-program surveys suggest that this approach is resonating with scholars, as 86% of parents reported that scholars showed improved abilities to overcome challenges, and 88% of teachers reported that scholars exhibited a growth mindset. 10
Public & Private Funding ✎ CHARLOTTE-MECKLENBURG SCHOOLS The school district contributed funding and in-kind resources, including utilizing classroom space, utilities, janitorial services, and daily breakfast and lunch. The school district also provided daily bus transportation to and from the program for scholars who needed it.
✎ BELL
BELL raised philanthropic funding from local and national sources to cover a portion of program expenses for BELL in other locations throughout Charlotte. A local leadership council also supported fundraising in North Carolina. No local philanthropic dollars were raised for the CMS READy program. BELL raised philanthropic funding from national sources to develop program innovations, build local sustainability, and cover a portion of program expenses: - The Edna McConnell Clark Foundation - The Wallace Foundation - - - -
Target Leon Lowenstein Foundation William Randolph Hearst Foundation News Corp.
Carolinas Leadership Council Cammie Hauptfuhrer, Chair
Philanthropist & Community Activist
Joe Kluttz
Partner, K&L Gates, LLP
Mary Kluttz
Former Lower School Academic Dean, Trinity Episcopal School (retired)
Dr. Donald Martin
Former Superintendent, Winston-Salem / Forsyth County Schools (retired); Professor of Education at High Point University
Walter McDowell
Chair, Business for Education Success & Transformation (BEST NC) & Former CEO, Wachovia (NC & VA)
Claire Tate
Community Advocate & former Executive Director of Partners in Out-of-School-Time (POST)
Carolinas Partners Blue Ribbon Commission on the Prevention of Youth Violence, Wilmington Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (Read to Achieve Grade-Level Reading)
Contact Us Jerri Haigler
Executive Director, Carolinas Jerri.Haigler@experienceBELL.org (704) 706-7122
Devonshire Elementary School, Charlotte First Presbyterian Church/Westerly Hills Academy, Charlotte Huntingtowne Farms Elementary School, Charlotte Lakewood Elementary School & Duke Office of Durham and Regional Affairs, Durham Martin Luther King Middle School, Charlotte OnTrack Greenville (United Way of Greenville County & Greenville County Schools)
Project LIFT, Charlotte Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Public Schools (Read to Achieve Grade-Level Reading & Middle School partnerships)
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