Learning Recovery & Extended Learning Plan
Use of Funds
The COVID-19 Global Pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the education of children across the United States. Starting in March 2020, school districts across Illinois were directed to close their doors to in-person instruction and quickly were forced to launch a program of full remote instruction for students. This radically different mode of teaching and learning caused a major disruption to the learning of all students, exposed myriad systemic challenges and inequities in the operation of public schools during a public health crisis, and required a fundamental redesign of the learning environment.
After starting the 2020-2021 school year in fully remote instruction, Bronzeville Academy Charter School (BACS) began its return to in-person instruction with a hybrid model starting in February 2021. A wave of uncontrolled community spread of COVID-19 resulted in prolonged remote learning for all students. The district returned to the in-person hybrid on February 23rd.
Leveraging federal funds from both the CARES Act signed into law in March 2020 and the COVID stimulus bill signed into law in December 2020, BACS secured supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE), purchased cleaning and sanitizing equipment and supplies, offered expanded remote learning programming during the summer of 2020, and deployed additional school-based staff, including expanded health office staff and student supervisors, with the goal and intention of returning students to classrooms in as safe and healthy a manner as possible.
During the winter of 2021, BACS continued use of federal funds to provide for additional needed PPE, acquire additional classroom air filtration equipment, implement a weekly COVID testing program using National Clinical Labs, and acquire additional single student desks and tables to maximize social distancing ability.
BACS has worked steadily throughout the winter, spring, and summer of 2021 to promote and assist faculty and staff to receive available vaccinations and as of July 2022 over 75% of district staff were fully vaccinated. BACS continues to encourage all staff who are able to be vaccinated as soon as possible.
With the promise of increased rates of public vaccination and the hope for effective management of the virus and reduction of community spread, there continue to be several unknowns as we look to the coming school year (21-22SY):
- What kind of mitigation strategies will continue to be required (social distancing, mask use, student cohorting, etc.)?
- Will vaccines be authorized for school-age children?
- Will a remote learning option continue to be required by the Illinois State Board of Education?
Unknowns notwithstanding, BACS is planning for a 2021-2022 school year with full in-person learning for all students and with a return to as normal of a daily learning environment as possible. As a school, we are viewing the 2021-2022 school year as a transition from management of the pandemic to learning recovery through intensive focus on identifying and addressing learning loss, providing social-emotional support to students and families, implementing significant changes and improvements to district curriculum and programming, BACS Learning Recovery Plan and implementing effective learning interventions to support accelerated skill mastery, growth, and academic achievement.
Our learning recovery plan is forward-thinking and focuses on each student, the quality of their learning, and their outcomes. This means not slowing down or looking back at lost ‘seat time’ stolen by a global pandemic but rather stepping on the gas and removing barriers so each student can achieve their full potential.
Learning Recovery Road Map
Giving students targeted support to take on grade-level work right away — a research-based strategy called “learning acceleration” — is crucial to helping our students at every grade level catch up. To make this happen we’ve developed a road map to navigate learning recovery and acceleration.
Our road map relies on knowing our students by name, strength, and need so we can develop personalized supports that build on individual strengths and improve areas of challenge. There are four key steps on the map.
- Identify Academic Needs
- Approaches to Address Academic Gap Filling
- Approaches to Identify Social & Emotional Needs
- Approaches to Address Social & Emotional Needs
Identifying Academic Needs
Spring 2021
- State and Local Assessment data will be used to identify students who would benefit from additional instruction and an Extended learning opportunity.
- Diagnostic data, such as NWEA, will be used to determine students in grades K-8 that are not on level in the area of reading.
- Special Education Referrals will be reviewed to determine if there are students that would benefit.
- IEP Progress reports that reflect on a student's progress on their IEP goals.
- Course completion and course final grades will be reviewed need for students.
- Survey teachers on what they believe the student needs are and how to address them.
Summer 2021
- State assessment results will be used to determine students who would benefit from additional learning opportunities.
- Teacher recommendations and teacher gap analysis will be reviewed to determine which students need to have extended learning opportunities as well as what materials may need to be retaught and reinforced.
- Course completion and course final grades will be reviewed to determine need for students.
2021-2022
- Diagnostic assessment data will be reviewed to determine students who are off track in their learning.
- State assessment results will be used to determine students who would benefit from additional learning opportunities.
- Teacher recommendations and teacher gap analysis will be reviewed Learning Recovery & Extended Learning Plan to determine which students need to have extended learning opportunities as well as what materials may need to be retaught and reinforced.
- Course completion and course final grades will be reviewed in the middle and high school grades to determine need for students.
- Use formative and summative classroom assessments to determine students who need to have interventions in the classroom that may carry over to additional learning.
- Provide professional development opportunities for staff on data analysis and curriculum development.
- Provide professional development and resources to teachers on evidenced based interventions that can be used in class to assist students in their learning.
2022-2023
- Diagnostic assessment data will be reviewed to determine students who are off track in their learning.
- State assessment results will be used to determine students who would benefit from additional learning opportunities.
- Teacher recommendations and teacher gap analysis will be reviewed to determine which students need to have extended learning opportunities as well as what materials may need to be retaught and reinforced.
- Course completion and course final grades will be reviewed in the middle and high school grades to determine need for students.
- Use formative and summative classroom assessments to determine students who need to have interventions in the classroom that may carry over to additional learning.
- Provide professional development opportunities for staff on data analysis and curriculum development.
- Provide professional development and resources to teachers on evidenced based interventions that can be used in class to assist students in their learning.
Approaches to Address Academic Gap Filling
Spring 2021
- Academic Enrichment for students.
- Curriculum Gap Analysis for materials that are covered. This will assist teachers in determining areas that additional learning will need to have a focus for the next school year as well as where additional learning opportunities may be necessary for some or all students.
Summer 2021
- Extended Learning opportunities that may include a summer enrichment for students in grades K-8 to reinforce foundational math and reading goals to gear up for the school year.
- Curriculum planning for staff looking at gaps in curriculum and data analysis.
2021-2022
- Extended Learning opportunities that may include a summer enrichment, after/Saturday school for students into reinforce foundational math and reading goals to gear up for the school year.
- Opportunity for after school tutoring to work with students in a small group or one on one setting to reinforce foundational skills in math and reading.
- Intervention time scheduled into the school day to reinforce and reteach materials that students may have missed in their learning.
2022-2023
- Extended Learning opportunities that may include a summer enrichment, after/Saturday school for students into reinforce foundational math and reading goals to gear up for the school year.
- Opportunity for after school tutoring to work with students in a small group or one on one setting to reinforce foundational skills in math and reading.
- Intervention time scheduled into the school day to reinforce and reteach materials that students may have missed in their learning.
Approaches to Identify Social & Emotional Needs
Spring 2021
Teacher referrals will be reviewed to look at students who need to have some additional social emotional supports. Review students who are failing courses that have not failed in the past to determine what change is occurring and support these students as needed.
1. Leverage student performance data (NWEA, IAR, KIDS)
- Teachers will use student data to provide intervention and extension.
- Individual student data reports will be shared with parents to show learning progress in Reading and Math.
2. Provide high-quality instruction and grade-level assignments
- Teachers and staff will focus on teaching priority standards. This will provide time for teachers to teach grade-level material while also identifying student needs, filling learning gaps, and extending learning.
- Teachers will use computer adaptive software to help monitor student progress and support each student’s unique learning level.
3. Ensure all students feel welcome and know they belong
- School leaders and teachers will continue to receive professional learning in Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
Intentional time and curriculum dedicated to SEL - Expand district focus on social and emotional well-being by using inclusive welcoming activities, engaging strategies throughout lessons, and optimistic closures in all classes.
- Calm Classroom (daily)
- 7 Mind Sets (weekly)
- Second Step (weekly)
4. Focus on mental health, community connections and resources
- Continue to build partnership with community-based organizations to foster connects and resources in our school.
- Increase Social Service Specialists positions at BACS.
5. Access to tutoring services
- Provide multiple FREE tutoring options for students.
- School based in-person academic support programs will be rolled out after students have completed NWEA BOY Assessments.
- Tutoring voucher program for students will be available to parents starting the month of August.
- Bussing students to off-site neighboring tutoring sites. (Kumon, Sylvan, and/or Huntington)
- After-school and Saturday school tutoring.
- During fall conferences, teachers will recommend targeted tutoring support based on an individual student’s needs.
