Closing the Achievement Gap - Washington State School Directors ...

5. To what degree have new ways to increase academic learning time forstudents most in need been examined and implemented?6. To what extent is the district providing extended learning opportunitiesfor primary age students who are not reading at grade level?7. What possibilities have been explored regarding the school calendarand modifications of the existing calendar? Are the opportunities tolearn for students in need of remediation placed at the most strategictimes throughout the year? What would the most effective academiccalendar of 180 days look like?Policy Recommendations1. Develop and adopt policies that direct the resource of time to closing theachievement gap, including a clear focus on using extended time effectivelybased on assessment of students’ needs. Allocate resources forremediation and acceleration of students’ annual growth targeted tostudents in the lowest quartile.2. Ensure that policies and practices establish clear links between theextended time programs and the regular academic program.3. Implement policies that develop and use collaboration among schools,parents, and communities to widen the pool of resources, expertise, andactivities available to extended day programs, such as recruiting parentsand community members as individual tutors and mentors. Explorecollaborations with traditional afterschool programs to provide extendedacademic learning opportunities.4. Direct staff to search for outside funding to support extended learningopportunities, including state, federal and private sources.5. In implementing new policies or practices to increase learning opportunitiesand time directed at closing the achievement gap, be sure to includea thoughtful evaluation plan to measure program effectiveness. Includeassessments that measure rate of annual growth in reading and mathematics.What School Districts Are DoingThe South Whidbey School District (www.sw.wednet.edu/schools/americorps/am_home.html) has expanded learning opportunities for studentsthrough partnerships with several community groups. The districtand South Whidbey Youth Center have collaborated for many years toprovide afterschool tutoring services to students. In addition to theafterschool tutoring provided by the youth center, the district has a strongpartnership with AmeriCorps. The South Whidbey AmeriCorps membersprovide significant services to students, working with students and teachers32CLOSING THE ACHIEVEMENT GAP: A POLICY ACTION GUIDE