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School Redesign

New Expanded Learning Time planning process

To:Superintendents
From:Sarah McLaughlin, Office of Expanded Learning Time, Pilot and Readiness Schools
Date:January 5, 2009

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The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is pleased to announce the next round of exploration and planning for the Expanded Learning Time (ELT) initiative. This round is open to schools and districts that are interested in opening a redesigned school in September 2010 (FY11).

Expanded Learning Time represents a key component of Governor Patrick's Readiness initiative. While the current economic climate may not support substantial growth of this initiative in FY10, the Department continues to support schools' efforts to examine current practices in regards to time and learning and explore the idea of a redesigned school day and/or year.

The priority of the ELT initiative is to use longer school days/years as a strategy to raise student achievement. In order to apply, districts plan an innovative redesign of selected schools by adding time to their schedules for English language arts, mathematics, and other core subjects; planning time and professional development for teachers; and integrated enrichment opportunities for students. Districts will plan to expand the hours and/or days of operation by adding no less than 300 hours to the current schedule for all students in the participating schools.

The timetable for the FY11 planning process and approval is:

  • Preliminary ELT redesign proposals due to ESE: Friday, July 31, 2009.

  • Districts and schools receive feedback from ESE: September/October 2009.

  • Final proposals due to ESE: Friday, December 4, 2009.

  • Notification of decisions and recommendations: February 1, 2010.

Attached to this memo are the current Expanded Learning Time proposal guidelines (FY10) . We anticipate these guidelines being updated and revised by the end of January 2009. At that time, the new guidelines for FY11 proposals will be posted to the Department's website.

The Department will not be awarding FY09 ELT planning grants for this year's process as it has in previous years. With the Governor's recent state budget cuts, there are not sufficient funds in the FY09 line item to award new planning grants. All FY09 ELT funds are dedicated to the 26 schools which are implementing ELT redesigns.

Interested schools and districts can find many resources to help them with the ELT planning process at Massachusetts 2020's website, www.mass2020.org.

If you have any questions, please contact Sarah McLaughlin in the Office of Expanded Learning Time, Pilot and Readiness Schools at smclaughlin@doe.mass.edu or 781.338.3589.



Last Updated: January 5, 2009

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