Co-Principal Investigator: Muncey, Donna

Partnership Institutions: American Institutes for Research; Boston Public Schools

Purpose: This researcher-practitioner partnership systematically studied practices used during extended learning time (ELT), a school improvement strategy widely used in Boston Public Schools (BPS), in order to guide continuous improvement and refinement of the BPS ELT initiatives. Through a combination of School Improvement Grants (SIG), Investing in Innovation (i3) grants, and other grants, BPS implemented ELT in low-performing schools since 2006 and had 36 schools offering ELT in 2014-15. In BPS, ELT consists of 300 additional hours for instruction (in core subjects and enrichment), and additional time for teacher collaboration and professional development. Although ELT was seen by education policymakers as a strategy for realizing improved student outcomes, there was limited information about whether or how the amount or use of expanded time was related to student outcomes. This project was designed to build a partnership to track and categorize the additional time being added to BPS schools as well as how that time was used.

Project Activities: American Institutes for Research and Boston Public Schools (BPS) built on their partnership, which began in 2012 during an Investing in Innovation (i3) project, to implement ELT in BPS. For this project, the partnership accomplished two aims:

1. created a typology of ELT practices in BPS and
2. examined the relationship between types of ELT implementation and student outcomes.

Because Massachusetts was one of the earliest states to systematically implement ELT as a school improvement strategy, the state offered an opportunity to identify valuable information about key elements for successful ELT implementation. The partnership focused on explicit procedures in five areas: planning, governance, decision making, use of research evidence, and sustainability. Both partners contributed to defining research goals and questions, evaluating research findings, and writing reports.

Key Outcomes: According to American Institutes for Research (2017), students who attended ELT schools had higher math Composite Performance Index (CPI) scores than students in non-ELT schools. Black and Hispanic students benefited the most in terms of gains on math CPI scores, and both groups had math CPI scores that were significantly higher than their peers who did not attend an ELT school. English language learners (ELLs), and economically disadvantaged students had math CPI scores that were significantly higher than their peers who did not attend an ELT school. Students who attended ELT schools had higher English language arts (ELA) CPI scores than students in non-ELT schools.

Structured Abstract

Setting: This project took place in Boston Public Schools. In 2014–15, eight BPS schools, including three middle schools, two high schools, and three K–8 schools, offered ELT, and at least 38 other schools in the district added time to their schedules.

Sample: The sample included almost 21,000 students in 36 schools. Students were 7% white, 40% African American, and 45% Hispanic. One third (31%) were English Language Learners, and one fifth (20%) had a disability.

Education Issue: BPS had been implementing ELT in schools since 2006. ELT is a practice in which extra time is added to the school day for instruction, enrichment activities, or teacher training and collaboration. The amount of time added and how the time is used varies greatly, but a common and distinctive feature of ELT initiatives (as compared to, for example, out-of-school time) is that they target all students. In 2015, with support from the mayor's office and the teacher's union, the district began an ambitious initiative to expand the school day by 40 minutes in 60 elementary, middle, and K–8 schools before 2018. Although BPS was implementing a nationally prevalent practice, there was limited rigorous research about how schools can leverage ELT to improve student achievement  and no research on how districts could support schools in these endeavors, especially with a view toward sustainability.

Research Design and Methods: The research team used a mixed method approach including both correlational analysis, descriptive statistics, regression modeling, and interviews with principals.

Key Measures: Key measures included academic learning time, math achievement, and English language arts achievement.

Data Analytic Strategy: The research team used several analytic approaches, including (1) descriptive analyses to define an ELT typology based on ELT practices, (2) coding and qualitative analyses of principal interview data, (3) correlational analyses to examine relationships, and (4) a regression using a comparative interrupted time series (CITS) design to provide preliminary evidence of impact. The partners worked together to create a dataset of the ELT practices being used in BPS schools to merge with BPS administrative data. The partners developed instruments, including fidelity protocols for each ELT practice, and conducted an initial cost analysis of various ELT practices. Outcome measures in the correlation analysis included student achievement, engagement, disciplinary incidences, and attendance.

Products and Publications

ERIC Citations: Find available citations in ERIC for this award here.

Project Website: Boston Public Schools: A Study of Expanded Learning Time

Select Publications:

American Institutes for Research. (2017). Expanded learning time found to have a positive impact on student achievement at Boston Public Schools.

Marek, S., Faude, S., Muncey, D., Kistner, A., Píriz, D. G., Williams, R., ... & Therriault, S. (2016). Boston Public Schools expanded learning time research collaborative: Year 2 findings report. American Institutes for Research.

Marek, S., Goldfinger, S., Mayer, E., Faude, S., Muncey, D., Hallberg, K., ... & Macdonald, K. (2016). Boston Public Schools expanded learning time research collaborative: Year 1 findings report. American Institutes for Research.