Year-Round Learning: Continuity in Education Across Settings and Time Through Expanded Learning Opportunities - Instead of putting the entire burden of educating America's youth on schools, why not recognize the richness of education outside the classroom and spread the wealth? That is, spread the school day and spread the summer so learning is year-round. Do it with a coordination of public, nonprofit, and private budgets and it's possible all parties will save money. The third in a series on Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELOs), this brief from the Harvard Family Research Project and the National Conference of State Legislatures suggests such a plan allows amplification of school learning with hands-on activities, it allows for an individualized learning plan that recognizes a student's needs and interests, and it prevents summer learning loss. (Erin Harris and Ashley Wallace, National Conference of State Legislators, December 2012)...

21st Century Community Learning Centers: Stable Funding for Innovation and Continuous Improvement - This latest issue of the Harvard Family Research Project's Research Update series reviews evaluations and research studies that showcase innovations in afterschool programs supported by 21st CCLC funding, and focuses on three areas of innovation: (1)Promoting academic achievement; (2) Evaluating and continuously improving major OST initiatives, and; (3)Providing high-quality OST experiences for youth. (Harvard Family Research Project, May 2012)...

States Need to Fill in the Gaps on Expanded Learning Time: Troubling Lack of Detail Seen in No Child Left Behind Waiver Applications - This analysis finds that most of the states receiving NCLB waivers missed an opportunity to rethink how they use time in school to promote student achievement. The author argues that rather than simply tacking additional hours onto the school day, week, or year, schools need to carefully consider how they design their schedule to strategically incorporate increased time for academics, enrichment, and teacher preparation, planning, and collaboration. (Center for American Progress, April 2012)...

Recess and Reading Achievement of Early Childhood Students in Public Schools - Using a nationally representative sample, this study examines reading scores of students who experienced different numbers of recess days in a week, and different numbers and lengths of recess periods in a day. Findings showed no significant main effects of recess; however, students who were exposed to a 16-30 minutes recess period tended to perform better. It was concluded that recess does not have a significant effect on reading achievement. (Arizona State University, April 2012)...

Increasing Physical Activity Through Recess - This brief summarizes the growing body of research examining recess, which shows that providing recess during the school day is an effective and efficient way to increase physical activity and improve academic performance among children. (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, January 2012)...

Staggered Schedules: Cost -Effective Solution to Increased Learning Time PDF - Brooklyn Generation has emerged as a nationwide model for cost effectively adding time. Without raises in teacher pay or time, and within the confines of union contracts, Brooklyn Generation has lengthened the traditional school year from180 to 200 days. Despite the longer year, school administrators have creatively restructured the school calendar to provide all teachers with three months of vacation each year. (National Center on Time and Learning, 2012)...

Time Well Spent: Eight Powerful Practices of Successful, Expanded-Time Schools - The NCTL's new report profiles 30 expanded learning time schools across the country in 11 states and large cities like New York, Chicago, Boston, New Orleans, and Philadelphia that serve large percentages of low-income kids. All the schools examined in the report have used various expanded-time models and seen improvements in students, staff, and the schools overall. (National Center on Time and Learning, September 2011)...

Collecting and Using Information to Strengthen Citywide Out-of-School Time Systems - This guide presents examples of how mayors, council members and other municipal leaders across the country have implemented each strategy to improve the out-of-school time opportunities available in their cities and towns. The powerful role city leaders can play in supporting data collection at the program and city levels is highlighted. (Lane Russell and Priscilla Little, Wallace Foundation, September 2011)...

Harnessing the Power of Expanded Time to Improve Schools: A Study of Three Districts - The U.S. Department of Education is re-vamping the Title I School Improvement Grant (SIG) program into an effort to turn around the nation's lowest performing schools. They identified a series of research-based, high-impact practices for individual schools to implement in their own transformation. Included in these practices are data-driven instruction, job-embedded professional development, and increased learning time. Educators must aim to put coherent, coordinated strategies into practice that build on one another. In addition to the full report, there is an executive summary. (David Farbman, National Center on Time and Learning, August 2011)...

Out-of-School Time Programs in Rural Areas - Out-of-school time programming can be vitally important to families in rural areas where resources to support children's learning and development can be insufficient. This report highlights findings from evaluations and research studies of nine programs located in rural areas. (Harvard Family Research Project, March 2011)...

An Outcome Evaluation of the Success for Kids Program - This report presents results for a multisite, quantitative evaluation of the international Success for Kids after-school program. The program seeks to build resilience in children by teaching them to access inner resources and build positive connections with others. The well-known second edition of the Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC-2). The researchers found the program had beneficial effects on virtually every domain covered by the BASC-2. The program had medium to large effects on adaptive skills, social skills, leadership, study skills and communication skills. A summary is also available.(Nicole Maestas and Sarah Gaillot, Rand, November 2010)...

Expanded-Time Schools PDF - The highest-performing public schools in the country all show that added time is a significant contributor to the success of their students. By cutting time from the school schedule, policymakers are making decisions driven by economics without having the research to look to for the impact. (Powerpoint presentation at the Education Commission of the States 2010 national forum)(Jennifer Davis, National Center for Time and Learning, August 2010)...

Building a Better School Day: The Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative - This webinar examined the creation, implementation and results of the Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative. The webinar runs slightly less than one hour. (American Youth Policy Forum, July 2010)...

Time for Learning White Paper - Policymakers should think of the time available for learning as a resource, just as they consider financial support, instructional materials and teacher expertise to be essential resources for learning. As with all resources, learning time needs to be well used to be of benefit. (National Academy of Education, November 2009)...

After-School Programs in Public Elementary Schools: First Look - This study provides a national profile of various types of formal after-school programs physically located at public elementary schools in 2008. (National Center for Education Statistics, February 2009)...

New Day for Schools—More Time to Learn: Enabling Higher Achievement and a Well-Rounded Education - Among the recommendations from 1983’s "Nation at Risk" was to increase learning time by extending the school day and year. A quarter century later, that recommendation is being embraced by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to take students beyond the basics of reading and mathematics, help youngsters bridge the achievement gap, and support teachers to improve instruction. After one year the Expanded Learning Time Initiative resulted in a substantial rise in proficiency in three tested subjects, marked increase in the number of expanded learning time schools demonstrating adequate yearly progress and a high satisfaction level among parents and teachers. (National Center on Time and Learning, July 2008)...

A New Day for Learning - Using examples from programs already in place around the nation, and knowledge about student learning, the Time, Learning, and Afterschool Task Force analyzes the way students are spending their days, and the importance of afterschool programs. It makes suggestions to states and policymakers regarding the importance of real world experience and building and retaining student interest in academics. (The Time, Learning, and Afterschool Task Force, January 2007) ...

Making Smart Investments in Afterschool: A Policy Primer for State and Local Leaders and Local Leaders - This brief offers ideas for state and local policymakers to develop interagency collaboration, expand access to affordable afterschool programs and advance general program quality. Examples of promising practices from across the country are included to show leaders concrete ways of promoting the sustainability of afterschool programs. (National Child Care Information Center, August 2006) ...

After-School Programs and Activities: 2005 - This report presents data on participation in after-school activities and programs in the United States. After-school programs and activities addressed include information about student participation in care arrangements in private homes with relatives and with care providers not related to them, participation in school-based or center-based after-school programs, participation in after-school activities that were not part of a school- or center-based program and self-care. (Priscilla R. Carver, Iheoma U. Iruka and Chris Chapman, National Center for Education Statistics, May 2006) ...

Selected Tables from the: 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) PDF - Access SASS table detailing the percentage of schools that offered extended-day programs or services at the school for students – regardless of funding source – by school type and selected school characteristics: 2003-04. Full report available here. (Gregory A. Strizek, Jayme L. Pittsonberger, Kate E. Riordan, Deanna M. Lyter, Greg F. Orlofsky and Kerry Gruber, National Center for Education Statistics, March 2006)...