Expanded Learning – Grade Level Proficiency Beyond the School Day

Highlights & Impact

• Scored 87% on the Youth Program Quality Assessment (Youth PQA): Academic Skill-Building Supplement.
• Scored highly on "Warm Welcome" and "Session Flow".
• Areas of growth include training volunteer tutors in specific teaching best practices, such as "Scaffolding" and "High-Order Thinking", as well as more standardized student recognition and team-building activities.

Year in Review + Testimonials

Video:

Highlights & Impact

The San José Learns initiative (SJ Learns) aims to bolster academic achievement by funding promising and innovative expanded learning programs for San José students in transitional kindergarten through third grade.

In addition to expanding out-of-school programming, SJ Learns held 10 Community of Practice (CoP) meetings, which included districts, community-based partners, and two additional funders. These meetings provided a vehicle for the following:

• deepening alignment with the expanded learning quality standards;
• sourcing ideas to enhance the pipeline of expanded learning instructors and teachers; and
• sharing promising practices and tips to support academic achievement and socio-emotional wellness in a distance learning environment.

Highlights & Impact

The Library now offers in-person and virtual class visits. However, students and their educators visited our library primarily through our virtual class visits program for 2020/2021. Our virtual class visits programs accomplish the following:

• Provide direct access to a Librarian and ‘in-person’ library services.
• Promote active and engaged learning with students in their virtual classrooms and their teachers.
• Promote diversity, access, and equity by providing:
  • programming
  • free resources, and
  • connections to the library.
• Build collaborative Partnerships with local education agencies.
• Maintain and promote quality staff.

Highlights & Impact

The Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services (PRNS) R.O.C.K. (Recreation of City Kids) 'n' Learn program has transitioned to afterschool programming. However, during pandemic-related school closures, the R.O.C.K. 'n' Learn program provided children with a safe, quiet space to complete distance learning.

Under CDC safety measures, the program also offered enrichment, healthy and fun recreation, developmental assists, and homework assistance.

Some highlighted outcomes include the following:

• Active and Engaged Learning: Students participated in activities such as Lights On Afterschool and Read Across America Day.
• Youth Voice and Leadership: Students participated in activities with the PRNS Senior Nutrition Program.
• Diversity, Access and Equity, Quality: PRNS provided staff with a series of virtual trainings on behavior management and inclusion.
• Safe and Supportive Environments / Clear Vision, Mission and Purpose: Provided ongoing training and support to staff on health and safety guidelines, concussion protocols, first-aid, etc.
• Standards Assessment: Assessed R.O.C.K. 'n' Learn programs using the Quality Standards for Expanded Learning (ELQS) Site Evaluation Tool.

Highlights & Impact

The After School Education & Safety (ASES) program from Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Services (PRNS) is a grant-funded afterschool program operated by PRNS at four school sites in partnership with Berryessa and Alum Rock School Districts and ACE Charter Schools.

During FY 2020/2021, students were provided with a safe and supervised space to participate in distance learning in low-income, COVID-impacted neighborhoods while families needed to return to work.