EXTENDED SCHOOL YEAR PILOT PROGRAM EVALUATION

As part of the strong commitment to high standards for education, the 2000 Florida Legislature passed Appropriation 93 that created the Extended School Year Pilot Program. According to the Proviso Language, “The purpose of the Extended School Year Pilot Program is to provide schools an opportunity to extend the school year by 30 days and then assess its effect on student performance. Participating schools must extend the length of the academic year for students beyond 180 to 210 days.” Further stipulations in the Proviso Language requires schools to plan for full participation in the program by all students enrolled in the school. The “additional time-on-task for students will be used to provide additional content.” The schools are prohibited from using the funds to extend the school day or support traditional summer school programs.

Evaluation Systems Design, Inc., (ESDI) of Tallahassee, Florida has been contracted to examine the curriculum and instructional methods and strategies employed in extended school year programs and the effect of the efforts on student performance, teachers and school staff, and community and parents. Major activities for the study conducted by Evaluation Systems Design, Inc., will include:

Conducting interviews with key stakeholders in the districts and schools.

Generating a site visit schedule for the eight school districts and nineteen schools to be included in the pilot program.

Conducting onsite visits, observations, and face-to-face interviews in all eight districts and nineteen schools.

Collecting and analyzing student achievement data using FCAT and SAT-9 test scores.

Developing and disseminating surveys to staff in the eight participating Florida school districts; all teachers and school staff in the nineteen selected schools; and parents and key community members of the selected schools.

Analyzing and synthesizing data collected from the evaluation.

Generating a Final Report that answers the evaluation questions of the study and includes appropriate recommendations.

If you have any questions concerning this study, please contact:

Dr. Constance C. Bergquist
President Evaluation Systems Design, Inc.
5145 Pimlico Drive
Tallahassee, FL 32308
PH 850-893-9504 FAX 850-893-9569
esdi@talstar.com

Dr. Marv Patterson
Florida Department of Education
325 W. Gaines Street, Room 424
Tallahassee, FL 32399
PH 850-922-6291 FAX 850-487-0716
patterm@mail.doe.state.fl.us