1. VIRGINIA MUNICIPAL LEAGUE, ANNUAL CONFERENCE Review of Year-Round Schools October 15, 2013

2. JLARC Study Mandate HJR 646 (2011) 2 JLARC to study year-round schools in Virginia and elsewhere Determine which divisions use year-round schools and describe their experience Evaluate impact on Academic achievement School cost Other factors

3. JLARC In Brief 3 In Virginia’s year-round schools, the shorter breaks throughout the year have typically been used to provide additional instruction. Certain student groups, in particular black students, were more likely to improve their SOL test scores at year-round schools than their peers at traditional calendar schools.

4. JLARC In This Presentation Background Test Scores for Certain Students Better at YRS Financial Impact Related to Intersessions Summary and 2013 Planning Grant Review of Low-Performing Schools YRS = Year-Round Schools 4

5. JLARC Earlier Start, With Intersessions in Fall, Winter, and Spring 5 JulAugSepOctNovDecJanFebMarJunAprMay In session Intersession Vacation Year-Round Traditional

6. JLARC Goal to Improve Academic Achievement or Increase Capacity Single-track − Increase achievement through reduced summer learning loss and instruction during intersession − Predominantly used in Virginia Multi-track − Maximize building capacity through “track rotations” 6

7. JLARC Five Divisions Used YRS at Nine Virginia Elementary Schools (2011-2012) 7 Richmond (1) Lynchburg (1 ) Danville (4) Alexandria (2) Arlington (1 school)

8. JLARC In This Presentation Background Test Scores for Certain Students Better at YRS Financial Impact Related to Intersessions Summary and 2013 Planning Grant Review of Low-Performing Schools YRS = Year-Round Schools 8

9. JLARC Finding 9 No appreciable difference in SOL test scores of general student population at year-round schools compared to traditional calendar schools.

10. JLARC Finding 10 Black student groups at year-round schools appear to do better on SOL tests. Other student subgroups at year-round schools also appear to do better on SOL tests, but less consistently than black students.

11. JLARC Average Scores of Black Students Improved Faster at Majority of YRS 11 65% Improved faster 35% Did not improve faster 26% Did not improve faster 74% Improved faster English SOLMath SOL Percentages refer to percentages of year-round schools.

12. JLARC Average Scores of Black Students at Some YRS Higher Than Predicted, Especially in Math 12 Lower than predicted Within range of predicted (+/- 10 pts) English SOL Math SOL 13%58% 29% 26%29% 45% Higher than predicted

13. JLARC Other Subgroups at Some YRS Scored Higher in English, But Majority Scored As Predicted 13 Lower than predicted Within range of predicted (+/- 10 pts) English SOL 20%53% 27% 17%54% 29% Higher than predicted 13%68% 19% Hispanic Economically- disadvantaged LEP

14. JLARC Practitioners Believe Intersessions And Shorter Breaks Contribute to Improvement 14 Timely and targeted remediation − Avoid accumulated learning loss Reinforcement of recently-learned concepts − Helps all students Shorter breaks − Less time for skills to decline

15. JLARC In This Presentation Background Test Scores for Certain Students Better at YRS Financial Impact Related to Intersessions Summary and 2013 Planning Grant Review of Low-Performing Schools YRS = Year-Round Schools 15

16. JLARC Finding 16 Year-round schools spent 3%, on average, of their total annual expenditures on intersessions (not including transportation and student food services).

17. JLARC Resources Typically Required to Provide YRS Intersessions 17 Instruction and instructional support − Teachers − Instructional aides − Instructional supplies and support Non-instructional − Nurses − Transportation − Food services − Intersession coordinator

18. JLARC Funding Sources for YRS Local funds used most frequently − Some divisions also use fees to offset enrichment costs Federal Title I funds State basic aid, remedial education, and summer school funds 18

19. JLARC In This Presentation Background Test Scores for Certain Students Better at YRS Financial Impact Related to Intersessions Summary and 2013 Planning Grant Review of Low-Performing Schools YRS = Year-Round Schools 19

20. JLARC Divisions With Higher Percentages of Certain Student Groups May Want to Consider Year-Round Schools 20 Year-round schools may be a method to improve student performance Particularly schools with high proportions of black, Hispanic, LEP, and economically disadvantaged students

21. JLARC Year-Round School Planning Grants Provided in the 2013 Session 21 General Assembly provided $412,500 for year- round school planning grants ($50,000 per grant) Applications were due August 1 st Seven divisions were awarded planning grants

22. JLARC In This Presentation Background Test Scores for Certain Students Better at YRS Financial Impact Related to Intersessions Summary and 2013 Planning Grant Review of Low-Performing Schools YRS = Year-Round Schools 22

23. JLARC JLARC Review of Low Performing Schools (CH 806, Item #31, G.1) 23 (i) options used in other states and cities, including an assessment of Virginia's efforts to date; (ii) other current successful approaches for high poverty urban schools within Virginia and whether they could be replicated in other areas; (iii) an estimate of the resources and expertise that would be required at the state level to effectively implement and oversee any such models; (iv) appropriate criteria for intervention decisions; and (v) analysis of the primary reasons for low school or district performance.

24. JLARC Study Planned for Completion in June 2014 24 Planning stage − Cataloging policies and standards in Virginia − Researching restructuring efforts in other states − Reviewing academic literature − Assessing potential study issues and methodologies

25. JLARC JLARC Reports are Available On Website 25 http://jlarc.virginia.gov

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