Ho`okako`o Corporation was honored to host Jennifer Davis, President and Co-founder of MASS2020, Helenann Civian, Director of ELT Programs at MASS2020, and Pat Massa, Principal of Garfield Middle School in Revere, Massachusetts to introduce the framework and success of Expanded Learning Time (ELT) to complex area supervisors, directors and principals in our Hawai`i State Department of Education (DOE).

The National Center on Time and Learning (NCTL), and Massachusetts 2020 collaborated with Ho`okako`o Corporation (HC) to present a workshop on Expanded Learning Time (ELT) at Leeward Community College on July 15, 2009.

The afternoon workshop covered a wide spectrum of topics ranging from the overview of the national movement to expand learning time in schools, the rationale for adding time, and the highly successful 3-year Massachusetts ELT Initiative with case studies, supporting data, and assessment tools. The workshop emphasized that ELT is a balanced, three-pronged approach on redesigning the entire school day by expanding academic time, exploring enrichment opportunities, and expanding teacher planning and professional development. 

All three presenters shared valuable personal experiences about developing partnerships with community-based organizations to offer new programs and activities that are integrated into the school day, and the challenges and benefits of using data to drive and adjust instruction to meet the needs of teachers, students, and families.  Handouts included the ELT Expectations for Implementation with supporting matrices detailing what sources of evidence would be assessed for efficacy in phases I and II, if a school were to replicate the MASS2020 model with fidelity.  The workshop ended with a spirited Q&A session where the challenges of redesigning a school day were thoughtfully discussed in the context of decreasing resources and funding cutbacks and how to encourage community efforts to support ELT in schools.