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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240903T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240903T163000
DTSTAMP:20260405T075840
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SUMMARY:Starting School With Success: How Summer Learning Closes Gaps in the Early Years
DESCRIPTION:As is well known\, CGLR has long emphasized summer learning as a primary strategy for advancing early school success. We have advocated for the expansion of summer learning opportunities across communities and increased access for children from economically challenged families. Since the school closures necessitated by the pandemic\, it became even more urgent to make the most of learning during the summer months. Significant federal funding responded to this urgency\, which has been bolstered by national and local philanthropy. These investments have led to successful new and expanded programs that are reaching many more children. In this week’s session\, we had the chance to explore a few of these programs and their impact.  \nModerator and summer learning champion Natalia Sol of the National Summer Learning Association introduced the discussion with a deep exploration of Bloomberg Philanthropy’s Summer Boost program and its recently released evaluation. Caitlin Hannon of Building Impact Partners shared the history of the program’s development and the expansion across seven cities\, enabled by support from Bloomberg. Jackie Taslim of the Lavinia Group discussed their innovative curriculum\, Rise Summer Learning\, which includes assessment tools that were used across several sites and enabled an in-depth evaluation. Geoffrey Borman\, Ph.D.\, of the Mary Lou Felton Teachers College at Arizona State University\, who was the lead researcher on the evaluation\, unpacked the findings that demonstrate how students engaged in Summer Boost achieved significant gains in math and English Language Arts and experienced academic recovery across demographics and education levels. Hannon captured what worked so well about Summer Boost and the Rise curriculum and why summer is a valuable time to learn outside of school:  \n“One nice thing that’s tied directly to the Rise curriculum is the ability to go narrow and deep\, whereas any of us who’ve been in the classroom know that it’s just like\, let’s just keep going\, gotta keep going. We gotta go. We covered that last week. We gotta cover this this week. [Yet in the summer\, you have the ability to] look at those foundational skills and go as deep as you can.”  \nSol then engaged with three local and national leaders who are effectively engaging the youngest learners in summer learning as they move into kindergarten and through the early grades of elementary school. Liz Obara Piedramartel\, Ph.D.\, of the Patterson Park Public Charter School in Baltimore shared her experience operating the Summer Boost program and the results gained by her students and talked about how her school provides preparation for kindergarten. Kelli Marshall of The Mind Trust in Indianapolis discussed their “Indy Summer Learning Labs” and the key aspect of teacher professional development that makes their program so successful. April Porter of Waterford shared details of their Upstart K–3 Summer Learning Path and the key role that parents and families play in engaging young learners in academics and enrichment during the summertime. Porter also highlighted a key concept that many are realizing when it comes to the concept of “kindergarten readiness”:  \n“You hear kindergarten ready\, kindergarten and kindergarten readiness. I often feel like the conversations sound like all the responsibilities fall on a family to be ready or even on the child to be ready. And I just think\, whether as organizations implementing\, studying\, funding\, how do we really shift our perspective and go deeper on what does it mean for districts to be ready? What does it mean for community-based organizations to be ready? I think we need deeper reflection on what it means to be ready for everybody.” 
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/starting-school-with-success-how-summer-learning-closes-gaps-in-the-early-years/
CATEGORIES:Big Bets Working,Past Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240917T123000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240917T140000
DTSTAMP:20260405T075840
CREATED:20240821T055018Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250123T220853Z
UID:248573-1726576200-1726581600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:When Disaster Hits: Philanthropic Responses to Natural and Man-made Disasters
DESCRIPTION:“Let’s stop treating disasters as extraordinary and start building structures and processes for when the next disaster will happen — not if\, but when. I can’t stress enough the importance of the convening role of the funder\, both to bring nonprofits together and also to work together as funders.”  – Lauress L.W. Lawrence\, M.Div\, Ph.D.\, Elmina B. Sewall Foundation \n\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				In the September 17\, 2024 Funder–to–Funder Conversation\, Lauress L.W. Lawrence\, M.Div\, Ph.D.\, of the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation in Freeport\, Maine\, offered the above call to action during a session that explored the ways in which philanthropy can help communities prepare for\, prevent and mitigate disasters\, as well as nurture equitable recovery and resiliency in their aftermath.   \nAnne C. Kubisch\, formerly with The Ford Family Foundation in Oregon\, moderated the conversation\, beginning by sharing her own learning process about the need to prepare for disasters in advance:  \n\n“There was a moment about five years into my tenure when one of my program officers came to me and said\, ‘Anne\, I think every year you have been here\, we have had some kind of disaster. We have had a mass shooting\, the worst forest fires in Oregon history\, flooding. Rather than thinking about emergency response as a one-off thing\, perhaps we should think about developing our own internal capacity for preparing\, responding and supporting recovery because we know that this is going to happen routinely from here forward.’”  –  Anne C. Kubisch  \n\nKubisch and Lawrence were joined by Justina Acevedo-Cross of the Hawai’i Community Foundation (HCF)\, Sharad Aggarwal of the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) and Maria Juarez Stouffer of Children’s Services Council of Broward County\, Florida. Echoing what Kubisch shared about the recurring nature of disasters\, Acevedo-Cross\, Stouffer and Lawrence shared their respective communities’ experiences with disasters in recent years\, including floods\, hurricanes\, lava flows\, the pandemic and wildfires in Hawai’i; hurricanes\, flooding\, community gun violence and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida; and flooding\, severe weather incidents\, the pandemic and the Lewiston mass shooting in Maine.  \nAcevedo-Cross described how HCF adopted a four-phase approach to disaster response\, beginning with community readiness\, rapid relief and response\, recovery and stabilization and rebuilding resilience. Having that approach in place positioned them to respond quickly to last year’s wildfires on Maui.   \n\n“We set up what are called Strong Funds ahead of disasters so on August 8\, [2023\,] when the Maui fires took hold\, we were able to activate those quickly. Meaning that we had funds coming in less than 24 hours and our first $1 million went out the door within the first 48 hours….One of the things I want to really double down on is how much work you can do ahead of time to have those conversations about what role you’re playing as a funder and what role someone else might be better equipped to play.”  – Justina Acevedo-Cross  \n\nAggarwal explained how CDP functions as an intermediary to inform and enhance the work of philanthropic leaders across the globe in responding equitably across the whole “arc” of disasters from preparedness through rebuilding and recovery.   \n\n“Philanthropy has a privileged position to raise issues that aren’t often talked about: What are those values that we want to promote? Who are the communities that don’t usually get the attention that they deserve? We really want to amplify the voices of marginalized communities.”  –  Sharad Aggarwal  \n\nIn a robust and thoughtful conversation\, the panelists discussed the importance of philanthropy:   \n\nCreating a plan and process for response before a disaster strikes and building collaborative relationships with other funders and with grantees; \nLooking for opportunities to strengthen systems and addressing underlying inequities that are often exacerbated by disasters; \nEmbracing the “more than money” roles that philanthropy can play\, including convening funders and partners before and after disasters\, being a catalyst for systems change to support long-term resiliency\, and advocating for increased attention to “low attention” disasters that might not receive the media focus and response of other high-profile disasters; \nProviding flexibility in grantmaking to allow grantees to reallocate funds and support rapid response efforts and be nimble to new issues and demands; \nRecognizing traumas caused by disasters and the long-term mental health implications of that kind of trauma\, especially for communities facing repeated disasters;  \nTaking a holistic and multidimensional approach to address the housing\, health care\, education and social services impacts of a disaster;  \nFunctioning as an information and coordination hub after disasters happen to lessen confusion and ensure families and partners know where and how to access resources; and \nListening to the community\, meeting them where they are\, and embracing shared decision-making to ensure work is community-driven and community-led. \n\n\n“We listen closely to the communities that we serve\, and that’s really important. I can’t stress that enough. Each community\, even each neighborhood\, might have different needs\, and it’s important to know what they are and to listen to them to meet them where they are.”   –   Maria Juarez Stouffer  \n\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/disaster-philanthropy/
CATEGORIES:Funder-to-Funder Conversation,Health,Past Event
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240917T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240917T163000
DTSTAMP:20260405T075840
CREATED:20240821T055355Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241023T023026Z
UID:248574-1726585200-1726590600@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:Locked Out of Literacy: Tackling the Illiteracy Crisis Together
DESCRIPTION:The documentary Sentenced explores the devastating impact of illiteracy on children and families across the United States and sheds light on how illiteracy\, especially when compounded by generational poverty\, can trap individuals in cycles of hardship from a young age. During this week’s GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, Locked Out of Literacy: Tackling the Illiteracy Crisis Together\, our panel discussed the documentary with Jeff Martin\, producer of the film and with the Children’s Literacy Project. Martin describes the film as more than just a documentary on illiteracy. It underscores how illiteracy\, paired with poverty\, creates what Martin referred to as a “toxic” environment for children\, with the film’s title itself reflecting that many kids are “sentenced” to failure before they even have a chance to succeed​. Moderator Joy Thomas Moore with CGLR added that the power of the film lies in its ability not just to tell a story but to engage and challenge viewers\, noting\, “The beauty is its power. It has the power to engage\, to inform\, to influence and even change minds and hearts.”  \nEach sector represented in the panel — faith\, philanthropy\, nonprofit and education — highlighted the critical role each can play in addressing the literacy crisis. Reverend Leonard L. Hamlin\, Sr.\, D. Min.\, of the Washington National Cathedral emphasized the importance of the faith community\, urging it to reclaim its historical role in education\, stating\, “The faith community gets to see up close and personal the issues of a child being left behind….This allows us to not only see the current situation\, but ask\, what will our future look like if we don’t act right now?” \nChris Helfrich of Eat. Learn. Play. explained why Stephen and Ayesha Curry have invested heavily in literacy\, particularly in Oakland\, stating\, “It took a lot of listening and research\, but once we really understood how important it is for kids to become confident\, strong readers at the right ages\, it was a no-brainer.” \nDavid Moore\, Ed.D.\, from the School District of Indian River County in Florida added\, “Literacy is not solely taught within the confines of a classroom. It is taught across the entire community. And the not-for-profits that exist to support students should not be on the outside of a school system but should be integrated in the work that we collectively do.” And so these many sectors have united in this work.  \nCGLR partners and communities can actively support literacy by collaborating with schools\, faith groups and local organizations. Martin encouraged using the documentary as a catalyst for action\, saying\, “This film was made for you.…We hope you fundraise with it\, recruit volunteers with it and invite your mayors and school board leaders to see it.” He highlighted the need for communities to “use the film to advance the cause” and to involve key stakeholders in addressing literacy challenges​. Together\, these efforts show that literacy is not just the responsibility of educators but a collective mission that can transform communities. \n“At the end of the day\, we have to all believe that we can be great. We can do this…if we start thinking about helping our kids read and that in turn helps our nation thrive\, then we can do this.” – Joy Thomas Moore.  \n\n\n\n \n\n\n\nIf you were able to attend the session\, we would love to hear your feedback on the session. We appreciate your help in filling out the following form as we seek to learn and understand the perspectives\, ideas\, critiques and recommendations that better inform our key audiences \n\n\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n					\n					\n				\n				\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/locked-out-of-literacy-tackling-the-illiteracy-crisis-together/
CATEGORIES:Past Event,Special Webinar
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DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20240924T150000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20240924T163000
DTSTAMP:20260405T075840
CREATED:20240821T060210Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20241023T020036Z
UID:248575-1727190000-1727195400@leo.gradelevelreading.net
SUMMARY:The ESSER Funding Cliff Approaches: What States Did & What They Learned
DESCRIPTION:In the September 24\, 2024 GLR Learning Tuesdays webinar\, CGLR was thrilled to have the rare opportunity to convene and hear from a panel of Chief State School Officers about the decision- and policymakers about the interventions and strategies in which they invested their 10% set-aside allowed from the $190 billion Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund over the past four years. With the looming September 30\, 2024\, deadline for obligating the final pool of relief funds and January 28\, 2025\, deadline to liquidate the grant before funds must be returned to the U.S. Department of Education\, this session provided an important opportunity to hear the state chiefs share what they did\, what they have learned and how they are planning to sustain effective strategies and interventions. \nModerator and competency-based education leader William R. Hite\, Jr.\, Ed.D.\, of KnowledgeWorks opened the discussion by asking each panelist to set their state’s context by sharing the priority learning recovery strategies they launched using the big federal investment and what results they have seen. In considering her priority investment in digital equity\, Susana Córdova\, Ed.D.\, Commissioner of Education in Colorado\, shared that in their need to expand access to digital resources\, new innovations emerged from the crisis that are now continuing to benefit districts and students. In setting the context for her state\, Katie Jenner\, Ed.D.\, Secretary of Education in Indiana\, shared that there had been a strained relationship between state government entities. When it came time to address the COVID crisis and prioritize ESSER investments\, her team needed to start with relationship building: \n\nIn order to drive change within a crisis situation\, it starts with consensus building and relationship building. So our team\, when I came in as an appointed secretary of education\,…started with relationship building and a commitment to being very transparent with the data…And we still hold this true in Indiana. Let’s not spend our time admiring the problem. Let’s focus in on solutions….That’s always what is needed in the beginning. \n\nHite continued the discussion by asking the panelists to consider the challenges they had to overcome\, what they might do differently in hindsight and what key lessons they have for the field. McKenzie Snow\, Director of the Iowa Department of Education\, discussed how achievement gap data in their state informed all the decisions they made\, leading to their top four priorities: creating a strong teacher pipeline; narrowing and closing the achievement gap; creating multiple pathways to postsecondary success; and implementing evidence-based reading instruction. Charlene Russell-Tucker\, Commissioner of Education in Connecticut\, agreed about the importance of data and demonstrating the return on investment — especially to communicate what works and justify state funding to support continued efforts: \n\nWe’ve used data to inform what it is that we’re investing in and to really talk about sustainability. Really important. Here in Connecticut\, our research collaborative is not going away. We rebranded and renamed it because it is so important that we know the return on investment for what it is that we’re doing.…So that is something I’d say is a best practice that will continue. Imagine now being able to go to the legislature and say\, here is this thing we tried doing and\, by the way\, we know it works….Now it’s your turn to invest in that…A lesson learned is to continue to try to make the case for being able to answer the “so what” question when we make an investment in a program or an initiative. \n\n			\n				Share Feedback
URL:https://leo.gradelevelreading.net/event/charting-the-path-forward-state-education-chiefs-on-accelerating-learning-recovery/
CATEGORIES:Past Event
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