Governor Carcieri, the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance Announce Expanded Learning Time Planning Grants in Three Cities

11-23-2009

Schools and Community Partners in Central Falls, Providence and Woonsocket Selected

Governor Donald L. Carcieri joined Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner (RIDE) Deborah A. Gist, representatives from the Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance, and the National Center on Time and Learning to announce that expanded learning time planning grants are being awarded to selected schools in Central Falls, Providence and Woonsocket. The grants are a result of the Rhode Island Urban Education Task Force's recently released report and focus on expanded learning time, which is one of the report's seven areas of recommendations.

The Rhode Island Urban Education Task Force was formed by Governor Carcieri last year to identify effective state support and intervention strategies, collaboration opportunities among our urban schools and districts; and new relationships and partnerships with community-based organizations, cultural institutions, businesses and the faith community.

"Our state has established high expectations for our schools in order to prepare our students for their future success. To meet that challenge, and the profound changes that have occurred in technology, the economy and even the demographics of our citizenry, we must be willing to examine traditional structures and practices including the length of our school day and school year," said Governor Carcieri. "Time should be a resource, and not a barrier, to student achievement."

"Today, in launching these planning grants in these three communities, we begin to more deeply engage our urban schools and communities in both expanding the amount of learning time as well as determining new and better ways that time can be used to support the development of our students. I commend the Urban Education Task Force for identifying and endorsing immediate action on this critical issue, applaud the educators and community organizations in the four schools for their leadership and look forward to the outcomes from these planning grants," continued Carcieri.

The schools chosen for the planning grants are: Calcutt Middle School in Central Falls; Veazie Street Elementary School and Gilbert Stuart Middle School in Providence; and Citizens Memorial Elementary School in Woonsocket. Each school's planning teams will include staff and faculty at each school, community-based organizations, existing school-based afterschool programs, parents, youth, union representatives, and higher education institutions The grants cover the 2009-2010 school year and are funded by the FY 2010 state budget.

The 26-member Task Force conducted their work over the past 18 months and included leaders in education, government, and community organizations. It was chaired by Warren Simmons, Executive Director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. The work of the Task Force was assisted by grants from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation and the Rhode Island Foundation, and support from the Wallace Foundation and the Bank of America.

"It is truly heartening to see these particular recommendations acted upon so quickly. I know I speak for the Task Force members, and all who assisted our work, in expressing our collective gratitude for the Governor's support throughout our discussions and, now, during implementation. Moreover, we appreciate his and the state legislators' enduring interest and concern for the enhancement of education for Rhode Island's school children so that we can change outcomes for the better," said Simmons.

The Expanded Learning Time Committee, chaired by Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance Executive Director Sarah Cahill, concentrated on encouraging schools and their community-based partners to redesign the school day, and beyond, by including more time for core academics, enrichment and youth development activities, as well as professional development for teachers and community organizations' educators.

"Expanded learning time is not just about more time in school but about more time well used. These planning grants will allow our schools to develop a new kind of school day: better, stronger, more engaging," said Deborah A. Gist, Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education. "This is a very exciting step for Rhode Island schools, and I'm especially pleased because the U.S. Department of Education has included expanded learning time as one of the components in the application for federal Race to the Top funds. Our four grant recipients will lead the way!"

Furthermore, the Task Force Committee recommended that Rhode Island's expanded learning time initiative be launched through a partnership between the Governor's office, the Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance, with technical assistance provided by the National Center on Time and Learning in Boston. Jennifer Davis, president of the National Center said, "Rhode Island should be proud today for being one of the first states in the nation to launch an effort to rethink what school can be when teachers and community partners have more time to prepare students for success in college, the work place and life in the 21st century."

The remaining Task Force recommendations comprise a comprehensive agenda for the state's urban schools and include: improving early literacy, cultivating innovation, creating multiple pathways for at-risk students, enhancing educator quality, and collaborating across districts and schools. The Governor and the General Assembly included funding for some of these initiatives in the budget passed this year. The Task Force hopes to attract additional public and private funding for the implementation of other initiatives that spring from the report's recommendations.

The final report, including an executive summary, list of Task Force members and other information is available at: http://www.annenberginstitute.org/UETF/