Report Calls for Seamless Learning Environment Connecting School and Out-of-School Time
by Lisa Fowler
A supportive relationship between municipal and school district leaders can solidify and in some cases transform a community’s commitment to children and youth. Nowhere is the potential of this alliance more evident than in the proposals outlined in “A New Day for Learning,” a report from the Time, Learning and Afterschool Task Force funded by the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.
Over a two-year period, the task force brought together a distinguished group of educators, foundation representatives and nonprofit leaders deeply involved with out-of-school programs to craft a strategy for changing the way our nation views the mechanics of education. The task force concluded that the current structure of the school day for America’s children and youth is not just ineffective; it is obsolete.
The report calls for a redesign of the school day into a comprehensive, seamless learning environment that aligns a community’s educational resources both during and after school and provides children and youth with multiple ways of learning throughout the day and year. This new learning system is based on five essential elements:
• A redefinition of student success beyond the acquisition of basic skills and the development of sophisticated ways to measure success;
• Use of research-based knowledge about how children learn to frame their cognitive and developmental experiences throughout the day;
• Integration of various approaches to acquiring and reinforcing knowledge, such as community service and hands-on learning through apprenticeships;
• Collaboration between local, state and national stakeholders to focus all resources on academic and developmental goals for children; and
• Creation of new opportunities for leadership and professional development in managing and teaching in a different learning system.
City Roles
The New Day for Learning report opens up a dialogue on reevaluating the traditional school day with real examples of successful programs and recommendations for change.
Municipal officials working to improve public schools and out-of-school time learning opportunities can make important contributions to this emerging national debate.
The most compelling reason for city leaders to become involved in this effort lies in the growing concern that achievement levels for American students lag behind those of students in other developed countries. This fact has profound implications for the economic health of our cities, as the increasing need for a highly skilled workforce presents new challenges to students and the communities in which they live.
Although the involvement of municipal leaders in local education systems must be handled with sensitivity, their influence cannot be overstated. City leaders can play a variety of roles in stimulating discussions about the need to restructure the learning environment in their communities, including convening of key stakeholders and framing options for future action. At times, city officials can offer transparency to a complicated topic or interpret events with a “big picture” outlook.
City officials may also have access to resources from state and federal agencies, foundations and businesses that are not available to school personnel. In addition, municipal officials can offer leadership by demonstrating a willingness to take risks, standing behind needed changes and raising awareness of new policies.
The City of Pasadena, Calif., offers one example of a community taking new approaches to education. The city is developing a strong relationship with Pasadena Unified School District and exploring the combination of some business functions where mutually beneficial.
Other partnerships in Pasadena include supporting seven high school academies with community-wide resources that link in-school goals with afterschool learning.
Reforming the school day so that it maximizes learning opportunities for students will require sustained efforts on the part of all community leaders. City officials can help move and motivate collaborative leadership at the local, state and national level to identify and break through obstacles, whether they arise from policy choices, lack of resources or simply old habits.
As the task force report notes, “in a new day for learning, there is no final bell.” Municipal leaders can play a vital role in aligning a community’s educational resources to ensure that learning opportunities are available throughout the day so that children and youth have the opportunity to succeed.
Details: To read the full report on “A New Day for Learning,” visit www.mott.org. To learn more about the efforts of NLC’s Institute for Youth, Education, and Families to assist city leaders on education and afterschool initiatives, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Audrey Hutchinson at (202) 626-3053 or hutchinson@nlc.org.
Lisa H. Fowler is special assistant to the city manager for school projects in Pasadena, Calif., and a member of the Time, Learning and Afterschool Task Force.
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