How a Large Urban District Prevents
Summer Learning Loss
Presenters:
Candice Colvin, Extended Day Coordinator
Valerie Davis, MTSS Specialist, Technology
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Office of PreK-12 Academic Support Services
Why Does Summer Matter?
Summer Matters because high quality summer
learning is essential to preventing “summer learning
loss” and encourages students to be lifelong learners,
rather than solely classroom learners.
Reference: summermatters2you.net
Why Does Summer Matter?
High quality summer learning programs change
students’ lives for the better each and every summer,
improving students’ academic achievement and
readiness to learn.
Reference: summermatters2you.net
Reference: summerlearning.org
How a Large Urban District Prevents
Summer Learning Loss
Session Objectives
1. By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify key
components of a successful summer learning program designed to prevent
summer learning loss.
2. By the end of the session, participants will be able to determine
resources, key staff and stakeholders, that contribute to the development
of a summer learning program in their district.
3. By the end of the session, participants will be able to provide direction
and guidelines for instructional structure, intent/purpose, and outcomes for
summer learning programs K-12.
How a Large Urban District Prevents
Summer Learning Loss
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) is located in the Charlotte, North
Carolina region and provides academic instruction, rigor and support each
school day to more than 144,000 students in kindergarten through 12th
grade in 164 schools throughout the cities and towns of Mecklenburg
County. CMS is one of the largest employers in Mecklenburg County with
more than 18,000 teachers, support staff and administrators. CMS is proud
of its diverse mix of students who represent 160 different countries and
various cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
How a Large Urban District Prevents
Summer Learning Loss
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Student Ethnicity Distribution
•
•
•
•
•
American Indian/multiracial 3%
Asian
5%
African American
42%
Hispanic
18%
White
32%
How a Large Urban District Prevents Summer
Learning Loss
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
Graduation Data
•
•
2014 Graduation Rate
85.1%
Number of 2014 Graduates
8,619
Breakdown
• African American
• American Indian
• Asian
• Hispanic
• Multiracial
• Pacific Islander
• White
82.6%
79.6%
87.3
74.3
88.3%
100%
93%
How a Large Urban District Prevents
Summer Learning Loss
Best Practices for Successful Implementation of a Summer
Program
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Convene a planning team that includes Community Partnerships.
Create an effective timeline for implementation.
Identify the greatest need in your district/schools.
Provide an instructional day that has an impact on student
learning.
Employ highly qualified teachers and staff.
Use effective cost accounting practices.
Best Practice #1: Convene a planning team that includes Community
Partnerships.
•
Includes a member(s) from the following departments
Transportation: Responsible for creating individual bus stops for
elementary students.
Human Resources: Responsible for writing job descriptions, posting
Summer School positions; vetting applicants; replacement of Summer
School staff.
Best Practice #1: Convene a planning team that includes Community
Partnerships.
Payroll: Responsible for coordinating Summer School staff
compensation; summer school staff absences; compensation for Summer
School Substitutes.
Child Nutrition: Responsible for providing breakfast and lunch to
summer school students free of charge; provides a Summer Food Service
Program for the community at no cost.
Student Applications: Responsible for updating technology features in
the Online Registration System.
Best Practice #1: Convene a planning team that includes Community
Partnerships.
STEM: Mathematics exploration program for rising 9th grade students
with a 8th grade Math EOG scale between 447 and 453(Level 2).
DreamBox Learning: An online, interactive, prescriptive mathematics
program that accelerates student learning. This adaptive program provided
individualized learning paths for personalized learning for students
participating in the Extended Learning summer camp.
Learning A-Z: Reading A-Z provided teachers resources, materials, and
lesson plan guides in order to target specific reading skills in the summer
learning camps. RazKids provided a virtual, interactive library for students
to read a variety of text independently on their instructional reading level.
Afterschool Enrichment Program (ASEP): Responsible for offering half
day summer camp to students participating in the Read to Achieve
summer camp for 6 weeks as well as students participating in the
Extended Learning summer camp for 4 weeks.
Best Practice #2: Create an effective timeline for implementation.
Best Practice #2: Create an effective timeline for implementation.
Best Practice #2: Create an effective timeline for implementation.
Best Practice #2: Create an effective timeline for implementation.
Best Practice #2: Create an effective timeline for implementation.
Best Practice #3: Identify the greatest need in your district/schools.
2014 Summer School Sites
•
•
•
•
•
•
20 Elementary Sites (Read to Achieve and Extended Learning Camp)
2 Middle School Sites (ESL Language Discovery Camp)
4 High School Credit Recovery Sites
1 STEM Site (Summer Topics Exploring Mathematics)
1 Graduation Program Site
1 Exceptional Children Extended Year Program Site
Best Practice #3: Identify the greatest need in your district/schools.
Programs offered and Student Eligibility:
•
3rd grade Read To Achieve Summer Camp: Read to Achieve legislation
requires third graders who score at Level I or II in reading on the third
grade EOG to take a retest of the EOG and or the Read to Achieve (RtA)
test
– Eligibility: If a student is not proficient on the retest, he or she will attend a
summer reading camp to help improve reading skills. Students reading
skills may be retested at the end of the summer camp. Students may also
attend summer camp to complete the reading portfolio.
Best Practice #3: Identify the greatest need in your district/schools.
Programs offered and Student Eligibility:
•
Elementary Extended Learning Camp: To provide struggling learners an
opportunity for additional support in the summer to prevent critical summer
learning loss.
– Eligibility: Available to rising 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade students that are below
grade level according to the Elementary TRC/Dibels assessment. Principals
were allowed to invite 30% of their population that fell into this category.
Best Practice #3: Identify the greatest need in your district/schools.
Programs offered and Student Eligibility:
•
STEM (Summer Topics Exploring Mathematics):
Provides rising ninth grade students an opportunity to participate in a
program that prepares them to be successful in Math I through common
core investigations and activities. Students will develop meta-cognition
through strategies that change how students understand intelligence,
deepen their commitment to learning and encourage high academic
achievement. Students who are successful in this course will receive
an elective credit.
– Eligibility: available to students who scored between 447-453 on the 8th
grade Math EOG assessment
Best Practice #3: Identify the greatest need in your district/schools.
Programs offered and Student Eligibility:
•
ELL Language Discovery Camp: Provides secondary LEP students an
opportunity to learn about Early American History, Biology, and Math
Vocabulary. Students will learn key social and academic English through
content subjects and project based activities
– Eligibility: Available to all secondary LEP students who have been in the
country for 2 years or less.
Best Practice #3: Identify the greatest need in your district/schools.
Programs offered and Student Eligibility:
•
High School Credit Recovery: Provides an opportunity for students who
have failed a core content course to recover credit.
– Eligibility: available to students grades 9th-11th
•
Graduate Program: Provides CMS high school seniors the opportunity to
complete their high school requirements and graduate at the end of the
summer program.
– Eligibility: A CMS student may obtain one unit of new coursework or two
units of recover coursework.
Best Practice #3: Identify the greatest need in your district/schools.
Programs offered and Student Eligibility:
•
Occupational Course of Study Credit Recovery: Provides an opportunity for
Exceptional Children students who have failed a OCS Math I, OCS English
II and OCS Biology to recover credit .
– Eligibility: available to students grades 9th-11th in the Occupational Course
of Study Program.
Best Practice #4: Provide an instructional day that has an impact on
student learning.
Sample Schedule for Read to Achieve Summer Camp
Read to Achieve Reading Camp
Teacher 1
8:00-8:15
8:15-8:30
8:30-8:45
8:45-9:00
9:00-9:15
9:15-9:30
9:30-9:45
9:45 - 10:00
10:00-10:15
10:15- 10:30
10:30-10:45
10:45-11:00
11:00-11:15
11:15-11:30
11:30-11:45
11:45-12:00
12:00-12:15
12:15-12:30
12:30-12:45
12:45-1:00
1:00-1:15
1:15-1:30
1:30-1:45
1:45-2:00
Small Group
(45 minutes)
Balanced
Literacy
Teacher 2
Teacher 3
Arrival Breakfast
Balanced
Specials/Camp
Literacy
Invention
(60 Min)
Small Group
Teacher 4
Balanced
Literacy
Specials/Camp
Invention
Balanced
Literacy
Small Group
Balanced
Literacy
Specials/Camp
Invention
Lunch
Bathroom, water other things little kids need to do
Specials/Camp
Invention
Small Group
Each site will have two (2)
instructional teams. Each
team consists of 4
classrooms teachers and
2 support teachers for
small group intervention.
The schedule will be the
same for both
instructional teams; the
only difference would be
the Specials/Camp
Invention block.
During week 1, one
instructional team will
have Camp Invention
while the other team has
Specials (art, music or
PE). Week 2, the teams
would swap.
Best Practice #4: Provide an instructional day that has an impact on
student learning.
Sample Schedule for Extended Learning Camp
Best Practice #4: Provide an instructional day that has an impact on
student learning.
Sample Schedule for Secondary Programs
Time
Events
7:30 – 7:55
Breakfast
8:00 – 11:50
Instruction
10:35 – 11:05
1st Lunch


11:08-Warning Bell
(Chime)
11:10-Final Bell
11:20 – 11:50


12:00 – 12:30


2nd Lunch
11:53-Warning Bell
(Chime)
11:55-Final Bell
3rd Lunch
12:33-Warning Bell
(Chime)
12:35-Final Bell
11:55 – 1:55
2:00
** Monday – Thursday
Summer School Sessions
*June 19 – Registration
*June 20 – Teacher PD
Session I
June 23 – July 9
*July 4 – Independence Day (Holiday)
*July 10 – Teacher Workday/Annual Leave
Session II July 14 – July 31
*July 30 – Last day for students
*July 31 – Required Teacher Work Day
Instruction
Dismissal
Best Practice #5: Employ highly qualified teachers and staff.
Eligibility for Summer School Staff
•
•
Elementary Teachers: North Carolina Teaching Licensure; Highly Qualified
Elementary School Teachers; Experience teaching literacy and math for
grades 1st -4th.;currently employed as an Elementary Teacher during the
academic year.
STEM Teachers: North Carolina Teaching Licensure: Highly Qualified in High
School Math I (6-9 or 9-12); Experience teaching Math I; currently employed
as a Math I teacher during the academic year.
•
Credit Recovery/ Graduation Program Teachers: North Carolina Teaching
Licensure; High Qualified in a content area (English, math, history,
science); currently employed in their specific content area during the
academic year.
•
ELL Language Discovery Camp Teachers : North Carolina Teaching
Licensure; Highly Qualified in ELL Services; currently employed as an ESL
teacher during the academic year.
Best Practice #5: Employ highly qualified teachers and staff.
Eligibility for Summer School Staff
•
Elementary Literacy Specialist: North Carolina Teaching Licensure; Highly
Qualified Elementary School Teachers; currently employed as a
Literacy Specialist during the Academic year.
•
Special Areas Teachers (PE, Art, Music): North Carolina Teaching Licensure;
Highly Qualified Elementary School Special Area Teachers; employed as a
PE, Music or Art teacher during the Academic year.
•
Summer Site Administrators: North Carolina Teaching Licensure; Masters
degree or certification in School Administration or Educational Leadership;
currently employed as an Assistant Principal or Dean of Students during
the Academic year.
Best Practice #5: Employ highly qualified teachers and staff.
Eligibility for Summer School Staff
•
Counselor (Graduation Program): Masters degree or certification in School
Counseling; currently employed as a School Counselor during the
Academic year.
•
Occupational Course Study Credit Recovery: North Carolina Teaching
Licensure; Highly Qualified Exceptional Children’s Teachers; currently
employed as an OCS EC teacher during the Academic year.
•
Exceptional Children Extended School Year: North Carolina Teaching
Licensure; Highly Qualified Exceptional Children’s Teachers with a
certification in severe/profound disabilities; currently employed as an EC
teacher during the Academic year.
•
Office Personnel, Custodians, Security Associates, Cafeteria Managers:
Currently employed in these positions during the Academic Year.
Best Practice #6: Use effective cost accounting practices.
Child Nutrition and Transportation
•
Child Nutrition
– The Summer Food Service Program
• June 16 - August 8, 2014
•
The program is a USDA funded child meal program that operates when regular
school is not in session. The rules of the Summer Food Service Program are a
little different than the regular school year in that this program can only operate in
schools where 50% or more of the students were eligible for free and reduced
meals in the preceding school year. Sites where this program operates are
required to be “open” sites. All children in the area, ages 1-18, may eat free of
charge unlike during the regular school year. Community programs like Parks
and Recreation are eligible to bring their children in to eat and neighborhood
children can also come to the school to eat.
Best Practice #6: Use effective cost accounting practices.
Child Nutrition and Transportation
•
Child Nutrition
–
The Summer Food Service Program
• June 16 - August 8, 2014
Pre-Approved Schools
- 50% or more of the students were eligible for free and reduced meals in the preceding
school year
Enrolled Schools
- If at least 50% of students attending summer programs at the school
qualify for free or reduced meals then the school qualifies for the SF program. Child
Nutrition must receive a roster of enrolled students to determine qualification.
If the school qualifies for the SF Program under this method, then the same SF rules as described
above apply.
If the school does not qualify, then payment arrangements will need to be made for student meals
Best Practice #6: Use effective cost accounting practices.
Child Nutrition and Transportation
•
Transportation
– A feeder pattern is developed for home schools to register their student to
their assigned Summer School Site.
– Bus stops are created according to students registered in the Summer School
Online Registration System.
– Elementary students are assigned individual stops.
– Secondary students are provided shuttle stops.
– Alternate stops to daycares are provided by request.
– McKinney Vento students are assigned to a summer school site according to
their home school, not attending school.
– Cost is determined by the number of students ride the bus and the number
stops created.
How a Large Urban District Prevents
Summer Learning Loss
CMS Summer School Data:
•
2014 Summer School Programs: 2,387 high school students recovered a credit
for a previously failed course
•
2014 Summer School Programs: over 4167 elementary students received math
and literacy instruction
•
2014 Summer School Programs: almost 1500 elementary students attended the
Read to Achieve Summer Camp
•
2014 Summer School Programs: 223 students received a high school diploma
(Graduation on Time Program)
•
Total Attendance: 8,272
How a Large Urban District Prevents
Summer Learning Loss
Summary
•
Summer Programs for students that are at risk of grade retention can
be effective and beneficial. (i.e. Read to Achieve Camp, Credit
Recovery, and Graduation Program)
•
Voluntary summer programs that invite students to attend provides
much needed remediation and enrichment that otherwise would not
have been available (i. e. Extended Learning Camp, Language
Discovery Camp, and STEM)
How a Large Urban District Prevents
Summer Learning Loss
Let’s Talk…
Creative Ways To Redesign Your
Summer Programming:
 Begin and end your summer session with a social gathering to prepare students
and parents for the program and to celebrate its end. Food is always a great
encourager of attendance…
(In CMS, we kicked off our summer programs with a National Summer Learning
Day event.)
 If your district is having problems finding appropriately certified staff for summer,
consider moving your summer school dates to attract qualified teachers from
neighboring districts when this is geographically possible or use staff from your
partners (Freedom School, TEACH 4 America, etc).
 Try some blended learning opportunities.
 Incorporate the arts into your programming (music, art, PE, etc)
Activity Planning Guide
Session Resources
Session Survey
Candice Colvin
candice.colvin@cms.k12.nc.us
Valerie Davis
valeriel.davis@cms.k12.nc.us