power in partnership: how graduate schools, private schools, and community colleges are working...
DESCRIPTION
Come hear the story about how four different education institutions in Rochester, NY - an independent K-12 school, a university, a community college, and a small, private college - joined forces through a summer learning program to support K-8 public school students in their community. We will share how this innovative partnership evolved, the diverse reasons for which each institution entered the partnership, the unexpected synergies that have developed, and how this model is being replicated throughout the nation.TRANSCRIPT
The National Picture
Achievement Gap
• 23 million low-income students
• On average, begin Kindergarten 6 months behind
• Gap grows to 2.5 years by fifth grade
• 1.2 million students drop out of high school per
school year
• More than half are from minority groups
• Low-income students 6x more likely to drop
out1
1U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics 2006
The National PictureSummer Learning Loss
Over half of the ninth-grade achievement gap between lower and higher income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities during the elementary school years1
1Alexander et al. 2007.
“We cannot afford to spend nearly 10 months of every year devoting enormous amounts of intellect, energy and money to promoting student learning and achievement, and then walk away from that investment every summer.” Jeff Smink, National Summer Learning Association
Horizons Closes the Gaps
• Award-winning, high-quality summer learning programs
• Low-income public school students
• Independent school and college partners
• Provides opportunity to learn new academic, social and life
skills
The Horizons Approach
• 9-year commitment beginning in Kindergarten
• Students with broad range of academic abilities
• Six-week summer session with additional year-round
support
• Project-based learning
• Professional teachers, 5 to 1 student teacher ratio
• Swimming!
Horizons’ Impact
• Reverses effects of summer slide
• Two to three month gain in reading and math skills
• Students, staff retention for 6 years on average
• Creates love of learning and increased engagement
• Improved high school graduation and college matriculation
Horizons Expansion Efforts
Expansion Challenges
• Limited number of schools
• Limit to the number of students at each school
• Dependence on private philanthropy
Horizons at Harley
Horizons at Harley Strategic Goals
ConnectionsWith OtherPrograms
ProgramFinancial
Sustainability
ProgramQuality &
Effectiveness
• The Horizons Community has invested over $2M and thousands of hours of volunteer support to make all this possible
• Horizons at Harley is a powerful force for good in Rochester and serves as an example for other communities
Contributions to Community
Community Involvement Strategies
Engaging community partners to enhance Horizons at Harley and
to further summer learning
Community Involvement Strategies
Horizons
At
Harley
Public / Gov.
Sector
Corporate Sector
Universities & Colleges
Non – Profit
Sector
Horizons at Harley / Rochester, NY
Community Involvement Strategies
Universities & Colleges
• U of R Get Real Science Program• SUNY Geneseo Literacy Clinic• Graduate level Social Work Interns• Marketing and Administrative Interns• Student Teachers• College and Career Field Trips• New affiliate sites (U of R, MCC, Nazareth)
Community Involvement Strategies
Public /Gov. Sector
• NYS / ED Summer Food Program ($24,000 reimbursement in 2010)
• Rochester City School District (busing, recruiting of students, student academic tracking, information sharing)
• City of Rochester Department of Youth Services and Recreation (extended day programming)
• Charter Schools (Character Development Curriculum, recruiting of students)
Community Involvement Strategies
Non-profit Sector
• Foodlink and Rochester Roots• Latino Rotary (volunteers, books)• Greater Rochester Literacy Commission• United Way & RACF (funding, training)• Children’s Institute (Data tracking and management &
meeting space)• The Ad Council (marketing plan, professional volunteers)• Harley School (Board members, specialty teachers)
Corporate Partnerships
• Funding (Canandaigua National Bank)• Board Members and Volunteers• Sponsorships (Go-kart build / STEM, Financial Literacy)• Training space• Sponsor the Annual Horizons Garden Party
Community Involvement Strategies
The Challenge
• Rochester and the Nation face a crisis in public education often referred to as the Achievement Gap
• In Rochester, 84% of RCSD students are on the free or reduced cost lunch program. Fewer that 50% graduate from high school on time. Fewer than 6% are deemed ready to go on to higher education (NYS Board of Regents College Readiness Data 6/19/11).
• Research demonstrates that approximately 2/3rds of the achievement gap is directly attributable to summer learning loss.
Background
• In 2008, Horizons at Harley reached out to other independent schools, public schools and colleges and universities in the area.
• During summer 2009 and 2010, a number of leaders (presidents, deans, faculty members) from these educational institutions visited Harley to see Horizons in action.
• Joe and Nancy Briggs, David and Shirley Kearns, and the Marie C. and Joseph C. Wilson Foundation stepped forward to contribute a total of $400,000 to initiate new summer learning programs in Rochester.
• In July of 2011, the Greater Rochester Summer Learning Association was formed with eight member institutions.
Greater Rochester Summer Learning Association
The mission of the Greater Rochester Summer Learning Association (GRSLA) is to promote the
development of sustainable, high-quality summer learning programs for low-income children in Rochester and in the Greater Rochester area.
Sustainable Funding Sources
Monroe Community College
Significance Horizons to MCC
• Locally• Nationally
Monroe Community College
Resources Unique to
• Higher Education• Community Colleges
Monroe Community College
Institutional Support
• Pilot• Moving forward