On Monday, Governor Patrick signed the $30.6 billion FY2012 budget, including $13.9 million for the Expanded Learning Time Initiative (ELT). Level-funding the ELT Initiative even as Massachusetts faced a $1.9 billion budget gap offers an incredible affirmation of the pioneering work happening in expanded learning time schools. Over the past five years, district leaders and teachers in ELT schools across the Commonwealth have demonstrated that expanded learning time, implemented effectively, can catalyze school and student improvement and narrow the achievement and opportunity gaps that exist for low-income students.

 
Today, the Massachusetts ELT Initiative serves as a national model for states and districts looking to move beyond the traditional school calendar and provide more high-quality learning time for students. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Deval Patrick, the Legislature, Secretary Paul Reville, Commissioner Mitchell Chester and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Massachusetts continues to lead the way with investments in educational innovations that are showing results and making a significant difference in students' lives.  

Yesterday at the AFT-TEACH conference in Washington, DC, Boston's Edwards Middle School was hailed as a model for using expanded learning time as a primary ingredient in its turnaround. Edwards' teachers Ondrea Johnston and Ted Chambers joined Mass 2020 Vice President Ben Lummis on a panel to introduce AFT leadership to one of the most impressive school turnarounds in the country. AFT President Randi Weingarten visited the Edwards in March.

Since 2006, using expanded learning time as a catalyst, Edwards teachers and students reduced the achievement gap with the state by 80 percent in ELA, by two-thirds in science, and eighth graders now exceed the state proficiency rate by eight points in math. Low-income, special education, limited English proficiency, African American, and Latino students made extraordinary gains at the Edwards. In addition, students now benefit from a wide variety of enrichment activities, including instrumental music, dance, theater and much more. Find out more about the presentation and the Edwards' success story here.