Current Projects
LEARNING LABS
LEARNING LABS program is a beyond-the-school-day, focused, proven, data-based, academic support program for middle school students. The program is no-cost to the student and facilitated at school with a Director and tutor/mentor volunteers. Students will be prepared for the rigors of high school, understanding the relationships among hard work, choice and academic success.
LEARNING LABS guarantees academic success when four essential program elements are implemented:
- strong parenting program with parents as a critical part of the academic team
- weekly monitoring of grades with focused feedback and support
- weekly congratulation awards to students meeting established expectations
- a positive, academic environment where students complete, redo, or makeup classroom assignments; available every school day until 6pm.
In addition, study skills, including organizational and test-taking skills and strategies, are taught. Common Core skills and strategies are provided at the public library on weekends, January through June, in preparation for the annual state assessment. The goal is for ALL students to meet or exceed grade level standard (A/B/C grades and pass the annual state assessment).
Did you know?
- children are in school only about 10% of their lives between Kindergarten and age 18.
- current high school students must pass 24 out 24 class credits and the annual state assessment in ELA and math to graduate high school.
- 740,000 jobs are available in Washington within the next 5 years. (Washington Roundtable)
- research indicates students excel when additional academic support is provided, and they understand the relationship among hard work, their choices and academic success.
LEARNING LABS Program Implementation
Academic Link Outreach is implementing LEARNING LABS in middle schools beginning September 2018. Currently LEARNING LABS is providing academic support to 6th grade students at Olympic View Middle School, in the Mukilteo School District. LEARNING LABS academic support program begins with the incoming middle school class.
LEARNING LABS is a beyond-the-school-day academic support program and not considered for basic education funding. Currently Districts cannot allocate resources for the program. ALO is actively seeking partnerships from county, city, community businesses and service organizations to fund LEARNING LABS programs.
A comprehensive LEARNING LABS manual will be used as a guide for planning, organization, implementation and evaluation of the program. The “how to” manual, if followed, will guarantee student academic success!
Past Projects
PATH to College Success
PATH to College Success was a three-year project in collaboration with College Spark Washington and the Edmonds School District. Its purpose was to determine how all students can academically excel and be college-ready. This project followed a group of 6th graders leaving elementary school through middle school and up to their 9th grade year of high school.
The three-year study established an academic culture among these students, taught them necessary study and test-taking skills, and monitored their progress with continuous feedback. Two major aspects of the study were holding these students accountable to the system and motivating them to excel. We followed these students through the next three years of high school. Read more...
KITE: Kids in Training to Excel
KITE is a homework center, tutoring and mentoring program which helps multi-family communities set up study tables for their children after school. The KITE program is designed to provide mentoring, tutoring, and enrichment opportunities for youth in 6th through 9th grade outside of the school day. A certified high school teacher manages the twice-weekly study table program, while high school volunteers, adult volunteers, educational programs, and computer-based learning are used to facilitate academic support.
We have published an all-inclusive 107 page “How To” manual which provides a template for setting up a homework study club (KITE program). This manual allows one to set up and operate a systematic, organized study table/tutoring program. The information contained in the manual is taken from our three year KITE program and includes material on site selection, personnel, and day-to-day operations. One of the most valuable features of the manual is a set of 35 study skill lessons in an easy to present format. Also included are numerous examples of forms, letters and newsletters which can be customized to fit individual needs. Read more...
SES: Supplemental Educational Services
The Supplemental Education Services Program was funded under the Federal “No Child Left Behind Act”. The SES program provided academic instruction to children whose school was determined by state criteria as “needing improvement.” ALO contracted with the Washington State Department of Education and individual school districts; serving over 460 students in 15 school districts!
In 2015 the SES program was changed to ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) by the Federal Government, and is funded and administered differently than the SES program. The SES program that ALO participated in providing tutoring services no longer exists. Read more...