Sumner Elementary “Year-Round School” Presentation to MSBA August 6, 2012

1. Sumner Elementary “Year-Round School” Presentation to MSBA August 6, 2012

2. Why did Sumner change calendars? Response to AYP concerns Response to segregation concerns Response to instructional practice concerns Recognition by staff of the limitations of our traditional calendar system for our students

3. Four Generalized Reasons for Calendar Modification Modified, balanced calendars can effectively maintain student interest in learning. Students, learning differently, require different time configurations. Intersession classes provide faster remediation and advanced enrichment. Students learning a second language can benefit from the balanced calendar.

4. Calendar Comparison Traditional 9-Month Calendar 45-15 Balanced Calendar

5. The Research on Summer Learning Loss • At Best: Students show little or no academic growth over summer. At worst: Students lose one to three months of learning • Summer Loss: Greater in Math than Reading • Summer vacation increases disparities between advantaged and disadvantaged students reading scores • The detrimental effect of summer vacation increases as grade level increases • No particular differences because of gender or race

6. Learning Loss is a Reality “Summer learning loss is a reality, that all students (including the best) lose in math and spelling skills, and many, though not all, lose in reading skills over the traditional summer.” University of Missouri, Columbia, study NAYRE.org

7. Traditional Calendar Research • The bottom line is: • No studies demonstrate effectiveness of traditional calendar • No studies demonstrate academic harm in any of the modified/balanced calendar

8. Initial Considerations • Cost of air conditioning, food service, and bussing • HVAC renovation already planned prior to calendar change • Initial bussing study shows no additional costs because Sumner is on separate routes which would only have to run on Sumner school days • Food service is able to offer free meals during breaks using the “Summer Lunch Funding” used for the traditional calendar schools

9. Timeline • Sumner Staff has organized into committees • Research • Community meetings • Media • Parent Meeting—all Sumner parents invited—free supper included! • Parent contact made for each family unable to attend • Parent Survey to be given to parents after informational meeting

10. Initial impressions Families have enjoyed the opportunity to recharge students during breaks Parents are finding the remediation during the school year to be more beneficial than waiting until summer school School year seems to be going “faster” Students seem to look forward to going back to school after breaks Staff feel well-rested and recharged after breaks

11. Assessment Data from Year 1 • Reading • Fall—fall Scantron scores show a higher average starting score than the scores of the previous two years.(Average starting score up 31 SS points) • Winter—mid-year Scantron scores show similar increases to previous years (starting from a high average however) • Math • 2012 MCA Math Scores— • 85% of Grade 3 passed/exceeded (50% previous year) • 68% of Grade 4 passed/exceeded (47.5% previous year) • 60% of Grade 5 passed/exceeded (29.7% previous year) • Fall—fall Scantron scores show a higher average starting score than the scores of the two previous years. (Average starting score up 40 SS points) • Winter—mid-year Scantron scores show an increase from fall to winter testing (Average winter score up 128 SS Points)

12. Classroom Data • First grade • 83% of first graders qualified for Phonics instruction in August…..after 12 weeks, 7% needed further phonics instruction • 1 out of 4 students moved up four or more benchmark levels on reading assessment • Grades 3, 4, 5 • From August to December Math Scantron we more than doubled the number of students meeting or exceeding grade level expectations (29 to 66) • Average daily attendance rates of students have increased • Number of out of school suspensions have decreased by half

13. 2012 MCA Data • Reading had a 5.6% gain • number of students proficient in reading • top gains in our district • above the state average of 1.6% • Math had a 24.7% gain • number of students proficient • led the district with the number of students proficient • significantly above the state average of 7.6%

14. Sumner Elementary Austin Public Schools Sheila K Berger, Principal Angie Goetz, School Board Member/Parent