If you know of any districts or schools that are integrating ELOs into their competency-based efforts to give students more opportunity to learn and apply skills, please let us know in the comments section - C. Sturgis
Recommended Reading: Leaving to Learn: How Out-of-School Learning Increases Student Engagement and Reduces Dropout Rates by Elliot Washor and Charles Mojkowski will definitely help you to think outside of the box about how we design schools, calendars, and policies. Gap years for high school students -- why not?
State, District and School Examples
- New Hampshire innovative policies have embraced both competency education and ELOs as a cohesive approach to engaging and supporting students. The policy promotes rigorous ELOs that have four components: Research, Reflection, Product and Presentation. For more information on NH's ELO policy read the American Youth Policy Forum brief. If you aren't familiar with NH's approach, the 2013 paper by Alliance for Excellent Education will be helpful.
- NH Expanded Learning Opportunities Evaluation - UMass Donahue Institute report
- Lebanon High School's ELO Program - New Hampshire
- Enlivening Education for Struggling Students - Mott Foundation report on Laconia's ELO program
- Pittsfield School District in NH - CW blog
- ELO Handbook - Rhode Island Afterschool Plus Alliance
Resources
- The Role of Expanded Learning in Competency-based Systems - American Youth Policy Forum
- Global Competence in Expanded Learning Time: A Guide for School Leaders - Asia Society
- Learn Anytime, Anywhere: Rethinking How Students Earn Credits Beyond School Hours - The After School Corp.
CW Blog
Five Connections Between Expanded Learning Opportunities and Competency Education - Chris Sturgis