Education Week - March 23, 2022 - 11

with academic recovery at all grade levels, and
about $14.3 million for staffing costs associated with
a longer school day for elementary school teachers.
While principals have some flexibility in how they
students met individually with adults at the start
of the year to set goals for their learning, which
" really helped ground them, " Vaughn said.
At Scott, students can use hand signals to show
schedule and use the extra time, the district has
placed an emphasis on having certified teachers
leading the work, Herring said.
" Our teachers are trained and qualified and skilled
to be the ones in front of our children to ensure they
are learning, " she said. " It's mission critical. "
At Scott Elementary, for example, WIN sessions
involve two adults in every classroom of about 20
students, said Longley, the principal. About 80
percent of those adults are classroom teachers. The
remaining 20 percent are tutors and teachers of
subjects like music.
Students in WIN complete lessons based on the
academic areas they tested lowest on through a
combination of computer-based modules and inperson
instruction.
School leaders track student growth in all areas
in addition to the total number who've reached
grade-level proficiency on tests, Longley said. At
the beginning of the year, about 90 percent of
Scott students needed intervention in reading or
math. That number has fallen to about 75 percent,
but even students who haven't reached grade level
have seen growth. The school was listed among
the top three in the district for its test-score growth
on the most recent MAP assessment.
" The growth data was a big breath of life for the
teachers, " Longley said. " It made them feel like
their work was really worthwhile. "
Atlanta's Continental Colony Elementary
School takes a similar approach with rotating
cohorts of students cycling between math and
reading, so that students get five consecutive days
of instruction in each subject, Principal Kristen
Vaughn said.
Teachers divide their classrooms into two
groups, who each spend half of their time in direct
instruction and half on a software platform. To use
the 30 minutes well, teachers worked hard to get
the transition between groups down to 30 seconds
or less.
" We really had to work on those transitions
because 15 minutes is quick, " Vaughn said, " but
you can still get a lot done in 15 minutes. "
The district has also emphasized socialemotional
learning to help students stay motivated
as they tackle academic challenges.
At Colony Elementary, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade
"
There are
certain things
that are never
easily executed
in schools,
and one is
[changing]
the school
arrival time.
LISA HERRING
Atlanta superintendent
their teachers they aren't prepared to be called on
in a group setting or if they'd like to ask a friend
for help. Classrooms also have " peace corners, "
where students can sit for a moment if they are
frustrated or overwhelmed.
" And we celebrate everything we possibly
can, " Longley said, adding that teachers give
students " pop up parties, " include their names in
announcements, and give them recognition on
computer slides for things like logging in every day
or showing academic growth.
Barriers to extending the school day
To be sure, there are some major hurdles that
make it difficult for schools to expand learning
time.
For one, many districts struggle with staffing,
even during the regular school day. Teacher
absences and shortages of substitute teachers
can make it difficult to cover every classroom.
Teachers also consistently report concerns about
burnout on national surveys, and that has led to a
lack of volunteers for things like summer school or
after-school programs. Even President Joe Biden
urged Americans to serve as a mentor or tutor in
his State of the Union address this month.
Atlanta principals told Education Week they have
motivated teachers through the longer school days
by regularly reviewing data and celebrating every
instance of growth. The district has also partnered
with Emory University to offer counseling and
support to teachers.
And, while the district hasn't had the depth
of staffing struggles some other school systems
faced, it did face one big obstacle: the challenges of
changing school schedules on a dime.
Adding time to the elementary school day meant
changing bus routes and adjusting the schedules
of middle and high schools to make the whole
system work.
" There are certain things that are never easily
Eva Vázquez for Education Week
executed in schools, and one is [changing] the
school arrival time, " Superintendent Herring said.
The district faced an outcry last May when it
announced that high schools would start 45 minutes
earlier, at 7:45 a.m., to accommodate the lengthened
elementary school day.
After community forums to seek feedback
on the plan, district leaders adjusted the plans,
allowing middle and high schools to start slightly
later than their previous bell schedule and adding
15 minutes to the beginning and end of the
elementary school day.
" We've found that it's been well received now
that we are in the full throes of the year, " Herring
said. " It's become our natural pattern. " n
EMERGING STRATEGIES IN TEACHING & LEARNING | 11
Education Week - March 23, 2022

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