Effective school and district leaders offer extended and expanded learning opportunities for all students to increase the positive impact on a range of social, emotional, physical, and cognitive outcomes. As David Farbman stated in 2015, “[B]oth research and practice indicate that adding time to the school day and/or year can have a meaningful and positive impact on student proficiency and, indeed, upon a child’s entire educational experience. Such enhancement can be especially consequential for economically disadvantaged students, who tend to enter school trailing behind their more affluent peers academically, continue to lag as they proceed through each grade, and have fewer opportunities outside of school for learning. For these millions of students, more time in school can be a path to equity.”

By offering supplemental learning opportunities that are student centered and connected to the school day, effective school and district leaders promote constructive learning within and beyond the school day to reinforce critical skills and knowledge that contribute to increased motivation, engagement, and academic performance among students