Source: Greg J. Duncan and Richard J Murnane, “Introduction: The American Dream, Then and Now,” in Whither Opportunity: Rising Inequality, Schools, and Children’s Life Chances, edited by Greg J. Duncan and Richard Murnane, 11. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, Authors’ calculations based on Consumer Expenditure Surveys, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Amount Spent Per Year on Enrichment

“Communities where student poverty is rare tend to have well- funded schools, whereas schools in communities where student poverty is rampant tend to receive much less funding.” A Research Synthesis / Unequal School Funding in the United States Bruce J. Biddle and David C. Berliner More Funding for Some

Triple Inequality Money In-School Resources Out-of-School Resources

What is the Opportunity Gap in Learning Outside the Classroom ? Thousands of low-income students experience Inconsistent access to educational supports Programs that are punitive Curriculum that doesn’t differ from their school day learning Few opportunities to pursue their passions Little family-oriented experiences Little literacy-oriented experiences How do we provide afterschool and summer learning opportunities that are high-quality, replicable and scalable?

BIG Idea Big Thought’s mission is to make imagination a part of everyday learning. We innovate education to draw students in to learning, thereby helping them succeed

What is So Exciting About Out of School Time? “This is the closest it gets to real teaching, to real school.” -Thriving Minds Summer Instructor Pacing Curriculum Staffing Focus Parental Involvement School Culture

Exploratory Project-based Hands-on Combines math, science, and technology with arts and culture Creative Career and personal development Focuses on students’ individuality and “spark” Provides a variety of opportunities in diverse environments Engaging Created and implemented in partnership with multiple stakeholders Shared vision of success and shared goals Collaborative What Do Thriving Minds Program Look Like?

What Does Creativity Look Like? Integrated and Active/Hands-On A student learning a new dance works with a teaching artist … Who explicitly connects fractions to whole turns and quarter steps Community Focused A Student in West Dallas learns of the achievements of Latino architect Santiago Calatrava Creative activities tie-in to school day curriculum and are observed for quality Rigorous

What Does Engagement Look Like? RelevantExperientialEngaged I want to use it later It will benefit me in my career/life It makes sense to me I’m making something I’m meeting new people I’m seeing places I’ve never seen Improved academics Improved Developmental Assets Increased chance of staying in school

*Research conducted in partnership with Dallas ISD Evaluation and Accountability and WolfBrown, using a rubric based on the Principles of Learning developed by the Institute for Learning, the National Standards for Arts Education, and the Framework for 21 st Century Learning, developed by the Partnership for 21 st Century Learning Skills. Percentage of High-Impact Learning* Occurring in Thriving Minds Thriving Minds Success

Thriving Minds Afterschool Student Progress Thriving Minds Afterschool TAKS Reading Passing Rates Thriving Minds Afterschool TAKS Math Passing Rates Reading Score 2010 Reading Score 2011 Math Score 2010 Math Score 2011 Thriving Minds Summer TAKS Score Improvements T= Terms, which includes fall, spring and summer, taken from Thriving Minds students participated in the study.

What Does Collaboration Look Like? Thriving Minds Summer 6,000 elementary students and 1,350 middle school students served at more than 13 Dallas locations 1,000 elementary and middle school students served in 10 cultural centers and community sites 58 juveniles on probation received and eight-week theater and fine arts residency 1,400 rising third graders studied by researchers to determine how Dallas Children are faring against summer learning loss 900 educators, including 250 artists and nonprofit staff, instructed Dallas kids 175 hours of professional development provided for instructors

Who Paid For What: Thriving Minds Summer Camps Dallas ISD Types of Funds General Operating Funds Temporary ESL (TESL) Texas Department of Agriculture Texas Education Agency Title One Title Two Covers: Classroom teachers School administration Custodial Services Facilities Transportation General Supplies The City of Dallas Types of Funds General Operating Funds Office of Cultural Affairs Covers: Cultural Facilities Community Instructors Private Funds Types of Funds Local, State and National Foundations Local, State and National Public Funds Local Private Funders Covers: Specialized Instructors Mission-oriented work Value-add components Innovative projects

Sustainability Challenges Leadership Changes occur frequently Sometimes leadership falls out of favor Private Funds Have a short lifespan Cannot scale effectively Public Funds Are not dependable past their grant cycle Public Needs Organization must realign work with innovation and flexibility