Expanding Learning Time & Boosting Student Achievement

experienceBELL.org

+1.4 Months, Reading +1.7 Months, Math Average Summer Learning Gain All BELL Scholars

91% Parents reporting they are more engaged in their child’s education because of BELL

89% Parents reporting that BELL Summer increased their child’s self-confidence

ABOUT BELL BELL is a nonprofit organization that partners with schools to expand learning time for students in grades K-8. We help schools deliver summer and after school learning experiences that are designed for students who are performing below grade level and who need more time to master core academic skills, boost their self-confidence, and become more engaged learners.

Since 1992, BELL has pursued its mission to boost scholars’ academic achievements, self-confidence, and life opportunities. BELL is committed to helping children excel because the organization believes that all children can be scholars. BELL has expanded learning time for over 100,000 students in schools throughout the country.

OUR IMPACT BELL’s programs are proven to boost scholar achievement and increase parent engagement. An independent random-assignment study found strong evidence of impact for the BELL Summer program. Assessment data from summer after school programs show that scholars gain skills in the summer, and learn at a faster rate than their peers during the school year. .

OUR PARTNERS Partners in the summer of 2013 included Baltimore City Public Schools (MD), Boston Public Schools (MA), BRICK Avon Academy (NJ), Bridges Academy (CA), Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools / Project LIFT (NC), the National Summer Learning Association / Smarter Summers initiative (MD, MA, NY), the New York City Department of Education / Summer Quest initiative (NY), Salem Public Schools (MA), San Rafael City Schools (CA), Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools (NC), and The Y / YMCA Associations (CT, FL, IL).

K-8 Grades Served

12,828 Scholars (2013)

96 School Partners

REPORT CARD, 2013

Program Design  

The BELL Summer program model delivers academic and social enrichment for up to 8 hours per day, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks. In sum, the program expands learning time by up to 240 hours. The model includes the following core elements:

✎  BREAKFAST + COMMUNITY TIME

A day at BELL Summer starts with a nutritious breakfast, followed by team-building games to build social skills and strong peer and staff relationships.

✎  LITERACY & MATH INSTRUCTION

Certified teachers and teaching assistants deliver literacy and math instruction, Monday – Thursday, using curricula from Pearson and a leveled reader’s library of multi-cultural titles. Curriculum is aligned to the Common Core and the Standards for Mathematical Practice.

✎  LUNCH & RECESS

Scholars eat a healthy lunch and engage in organized physical activity during recess.

✎  ENRICHMENT COURSES

After lunch, scholars rotate through a series of enrichment courses each day, Monday – Thursday. Activities are designed to foster critical 21st Century skills like teamwork and leadership, increase self-confidence, and expose scholars to new subjects and opportunities in science, technology, creative arts, fitness, and character development.

✎  FIELD TRIPS

On Fridays, BELL brings the classroom into the community as scholars visit cultural institutions, universities, regional landmarks, and science centers.

Partnership Design  

BELL mobilizes community resources to help schools expand learning time. The nonprofit leverages its infrastructure and experience to plan, deliver, and assess expanded learning programs that are aligned to school day and school year learning.

✎  SCHOLAR ENROLLMENT

BELL works closely with principals and teachers to identify the students who need expanded learning the most. Schools often use test scores as criteria for enrollment, and/or target specific grade levels or ranges for participation, such as third graders or the middle school grades.

✎  STAFFING & TRAINING

Principals assist in selecting certified teachers to lead academic instruction and align expanded learning with school needs and priorities. BELL recruits teaching assistants to provide additional support in the classroom, as well as enrichment instructors to lead afternoon courses. Staff participate in trained through eLearning, webinars, and classroom-based training. In 2013, 94% of teachers reported that BELL helped them gain professional skills.

✎  FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Family involvement is a key component of BELL’s expanded learning programs. Program Managers lead parent outreach, while teachers regularly communicate with parents through phone calls, progress reports, and mid-program parent-teacher conferences. Parents are invited to volunteer during community service projects and special events, and attend Closing Ceremonies to learn about what their scholars’ learning experience.

✎  PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

BELL trains and supports a leader from the school community to serve as Program Manager. An experienced teacher serves as Lead Teacher, overseeing assessment and helping teachers use data to differentiate instruction.

Sample BELL Summer Schedule  

“At BELL, Amina became a stronger reader, a more fluent reader. She gained a love for reading…a desire to read because things make sense.“

-  Ms. Thomas, a BELL Teacher

“BELL Summer helped my daughter have a great transition to middle school, to not lose any skills in the summer – it was just an excellent opportunity for my family.”

- Rachelle, a BELL Parent

BRIDGES ACADEMY San Jose, CA Goal: Engage 300 scholars in science, technology, and exercise while countering summer learning loss.

Partners: Bridges Academy, Franklin-McKinley Unified School District, Tipping Point Community, Quest Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Shortino Family Foundation, Western Digital, and other local and national donors.

WINSTON-SALEM/FORSYTH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Winston-Salem, NC

Goal: Expand summer learning partnership to 1,000 to 1,500 scholars in grades K-8.

Partners: Five schools, the Social Innovation Fund, Walmart, the Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust, the Reynolds American Foundation, and other local and national donors.

BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS Boston, MA

Goal: Boost English language arts and math skills of 800 English Language Learners.

Partners: 12 Boston Public Schools, 4 community based organizations supporting Spanish, Chinese, Haitian, and Cape Verdean populations, the Wallace Foundation, Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts, and other local and national donors.

Partnership Checklist

Philanthropic Funding ¤

School Funding & In-Kind Contributions ¤

Summer Program Management ¤

Student Enrollment & Attendance ¤ ¤

Academic & Enrichment Curricula & Supplies ¤

Field Trips & Community Service ¤

Staff Recruitment, Hiring & Training ¤

Parent Engagement ¤

Classrooms & School Facilities ¤

Technology & Information Systems ¤ ¤

Snack & Meal Service ¤

Assessment & Evaluation ¤

2013 Partnership Examples

-2

-1

0

1

2

3

4

Gai

n /

Loss

of G

rade

-Equ

ival

ent S

kills

in M

onth

s

Summer Start Summer End

+3.9 Months, Math

+2.4 Months, Reading Average Summer Learning Gain of Underperforming BELL Scholars -2.0 Months, Academic Skills Average Summer Learning Loss of Disadvantaged Students without Summer Learning

SUMMER LEARNING GAINS VS SUMMER LEARNING LOSS

Scan to learn more and contact us!

Public & Private Funding

BELL raises philanthropic funding from local and national sources to cover a portion of program expenses. The nonprofit works strategically with school and district leaders to demonstrate a joint commitment to expanding learning time and secure secures foundation grants and corporate contributions to help pay for it.

School and district partners contribute cash and in-kind resources to support program expenses, drawing from federal, state, and municipal programs such as Title I, the After School Education & Safety Program (ASES), Supplemental Educational Services, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Community Development Block grants, and Race to the Top. In-kind contributions include classroom space, utilities, janitorial services, breakfast and lunch, and, if necessary, bus transportation to and from schools each day.

Measurement

BELL measures performance against key goals for scholar outcomes, parent involvement, and program quality. STAR Enterprise Assessments, which are computer-adaptive assessments built for the Common Core, measure academic growth and are administered at the start and end of BELL programs. A series of youth, parent, and teacher surveys measure changes in attitude, self-confidence, and social skills. A scholar management system powered by Salesforce.com tracks and reports on key indicators of program quality, such as scholar enrollment, attendance, and classroom size.

experienceBELL.org

GRADE-EQUIVALENT GAINS, SUMMER 2013 READING

Data source: STAR Enterprise Assessments

All Scholars 1.4

Underperforming Scholars 2.4

Data source: SDRT-IV

All Scholars 5.1

MATH Data source: STAR Enterprise Assessments

All Scholars 1.7

Underperforming Scholars 3.9

Data source: SDMT-IV

All Scholars 5.8

Academic Impact Assessment data show that BELL Summer boosts scholars’ reading and math skills. In the 2013 BELL Summer program, the greatest gains were achieved by scholars entering the program below grade level. These outcomes are noteworthy given the summer learning loss that typically effects disadvantaged students who lack access to high-quality learning opportunities when school is out.