Your weekly feed of reasons why TSC signatories decided to be, well, TSC signatories! (All emphasis added.)

Your weekly feed of reasons why TSC signatories decided to be, well, TSC signatories! (All emphasis added.) "The current school day limits the time for academic pursuits, individualized explorations, active play, nutrition, and personal growth. In addition, students with limited resources in their communities miss out on many out-of-school opportunities and become less competitive with their more affluent peers. I believe productive use of expanded learning time that is safe, personalized, and culturally and intellectually enriching addresses each of these concerns." Kathleen Wright, Education Reform Policy Analyst, Waban, MA "For years the traditional school day and calendar have held time as a constant and have allowed learning to be the variable. It is time to shift this paradigm ensure that students are engaged in high-quality expanded learning opportunities that prepare them for success in academic learning, life, and the global economy." Caterina Leone Mannino, District Administrator, Rochester, NY "It's one critical component to accelerate learning and close the achievement gap for this generation." Sneha Sheth, Business Person, Boston, MA Now it’s your turn! Become a Signatory and tell us why YOU support expanding learning time!

Your weekly feed of reasons why TSC signatories decided to be, well, TSC signatories! (All emphasis added.) “ELT has provided me an opportunity as an educator to create a bond with my students through some creative new courses we were able to implement as a result of additional learning time. ELT has changed the entire culture and climate of our school by assisting us in engaging students in learning the standards in new and innovative ways through courses such as martial arts, knitting, video production, story writing, typing, swimming, and dance. Educators like me have been able to display our talents outside of our subject area which shows students we are well-rounded role models and in turn students get to expand their knowledge of the world and how to stay active and become successful citizens and family members.” - Marc Charest, Special Needs Teacher, Fall River, MA “There is quite satisfactory empirical evidence that this straightforward change in the way American schooling is organized does work." - John Modell, Annenberg Institute, Providence, RI “There remains a high correlation between high-poverty neighborhoods and low performing schools. The result being that children living in poverty often receive a sub-par education with little to no opportunities to engage in extracurricular activities which may serve to enrich the education they receive each day in school. Subsequently, this demographic of children continue to not make academic gains at the same rate as are their middle to upper class peers, further perpetuating the gap in achievement. It therefore becomes essential that we work to create these learning opportunities through the expansion of learning time in high-poverty communities. Doing so will help to assure that all children, regardless of socioeconomic status, are given equal access to educationally enriching activities which will ultimately allow them to find greater success in school.” - Deanna Conley, Teacher, The George Washington University, Arlington, VA Now it’s your turn! Become a Signatory and tell us why YOU support expanding learning time!

Your weekly feed of reasons why TSC signatories decided to be, well, TSC signatories! (All emphasis added.) “Learning opportunities are available to students around the clock and throughout the year. We must create the structure that motivates students to want to learn and accommodates different learning styles.” - Dave Sipka, School Leader, Muskegon Area Intermediate School District, Muskegon, MI “As a teacher in a school with expanded learning time, I see the difference first hand that a longer school day has on a child's education. As a special needs teacher, the longer school day provides more opportunities for my students to receive instruction, be involved in the main stream classes, and participate in a wider variety of social activities. As a developed country, and a leading country, it is inconceivable to me that students in the United States are not attending school for longer periods of time, whether it be a longer day or a longer school year. The schedule designed 100 years ago is no longer applicable.” - Sandra Carreiro, Teacher, Malden Public Schools, Malden, MA “Because all students -- particularly those from high-poverty neighborhoods -- need and deserve sufficient learning time to address gaps, enjoy a balanced curriculum including arts and physical education, and to have the best shot at being on track for college!” - Jennifer Husbands, Director; Advisory Services, AUSL, Chicago, IL Now it’s your turn! Become a Signatory and tell us why YOU support expanding learning time!

Your weekly feed of reasons why TSC signatories decided to be, well, TSC signatories! (All emphasis added.) “It's time for a practical solution to our educational system. It's a different world from the 50's and 60's.” - Charles Winter, Parent, Fairfield, CO “The community of support for a student must include family and/or significant others who commit to learning and growing intellectually together. Time is the essential vehicle. Connecting with one's own interests can help a student, especially in poor environments-I grew up in one, understand that he/she must own his/her own education, and that time is the variable. All learning is self-initiated. Integrating that reality into a child's schedules at school, at home, or in some other high quality, high respect environment can move a student along.” - Brett Turner, Program Officer, Rodel Foundation of Delaware “Experience in low-income k-12 schools and research for my PhD dissertation both provided compelling evidence that expanded learning time is essential for raising student achievement in low-income schools. Summer learning loss alone accounts for much of the current achievement gap.” - David Jackson, Retired teacher & principal, Berkeley, CA Now it’s your turn! Become a Signatory and tell us why YOU support expanding learning time!

Last week, we launched Time to Succeed Coalition Massachusetts. We were pleased to make the Massachusetts the first state coalition for Time to Succeed as the Bay State is also – thanks to the leadership of the Legislature – the home of the first statewide initiative in the country to enable schools to increase learning time for all students. Today, over ninety schools across the state have implemented a longer school day, year or a combination of the two. “I think that children need more time learning to be able to access creative electives along with their core subjects.” - Julie Papageorge, Teacher, Duxbury, MA "Expanded Learning Time is a critical component to a better, more comprehensive and interesting education; especially for eliminating the achievement gap in our schools between low income students and those in the middle class." -Laura Beretsky, Parent, Somerville, MA “I've experienced first-hand the dramatic growth that students (and schools) can make when well-designed individualized instruction happens in the context of an extended school day.” - Mark Destler, Executive Director, Tutors for All Now it is your turn, become a signatory and tell us why you support ELT for schools service high-poverty students in your state. As Dr. Seuss wrote, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not.”

Your weekly feed of reasons why TSC signatories decided to be, well, TSC signatories! (All emphasis added.) "More time; better used, through technology, teachers and outside providers, will produce higher academic outcomes, meet the socio-emotional needs of students and close the achievement gap." - Robert Hughes, CEO, New Visions for Public Schools, New York, NY "Expanding learning time is crucial for the development of our students. I myself am a student and I feel the more time spent in classrooms directly correlates with not only a more enjoyable learning experience, but the ability to develop skills that can only be taught in classrooms. More time spent in classrooms means more knowledge and information going to a student. I spent a ton of time in the classroom, which in turn helped sparked my interest in a multitude of areas such as science and history. EXPAND OUR LEARNING TIME." -Jeffrey Sklencar, Student, Jamison, PA "I know the time my children spend in school is invaluable to their future in a global society. I see the difference firsthand the negative effects of excessive time away from studies has the educators have to spend critical time refreshing the students on things they have already learned. This is unacceptable and we have a responsibility to correct shortcomings when we are made aware of them." - Harold Wilkes Jr., Parent Now it’s your turn! Become a Signatory and tell us why YOU support expanding learning time!

This guest post is by TSC signatory Dr. Robert Sanborn, Children at Risk's president and CEO. It originally appeared in the El Paso Times.

Your weekly feed of reasons why TSC signatories decided to be, well, TSC signatories! (All emphasis added.) "Longer blocks for learning provide educators with the time needed to include hands on learning opportunities such as science labs and community service. A longer school day ensures that students have a safe and productive environment until their parents get home from work. Students who need extra help can receive it. Sports and arts can be incorporated into the longer school day. - Mary Rapoza, Parent, New Bedford, MA "I worked with the National Center on Time & Learning staff in Boston and watched Boston area students and teachers apply extra time to their programs. The results and motivation were powerful." - Dale Kirch, School Improvement Contractor, Huntsville, AL "The additional academic and enrichment classes offered through ELT has increased student motivation to succeed and increased access to experiences that broaden background knowledge for our at risk population; core teachers have more time for the collaboration that is critical to maintaining a sharp focus on by student, by need." - Beth Pfalmer, Expanded Learning Time Coordinator, Sheridan School District #2; Fort Logan Elementary School, Englewood, CO Now it’s your turn! Become a Signatory and tell us why YOU support expanding learning time!