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Learn to Earn Dayton is pleased to provide this update, sharing the positive outcomes that were possible because of the first round of the Community Investment Fund (CIF). With guidance and oversight from the CIF review panel, comprising residents from the Northwest Dayton neighborhoods, Learn to Earn Dayton committed $1.45 million to 28 local organizations striving to improve outcomes in education, community well-being, racial equity, and economic mobility for Northwest Dayton’s children and families. L2ED also provided the 28 organizations with technical assistance and professional development to help to build their capacity and ensure sustainability. Grantees submitted reports at the end of 2023. We're pleased to publish this impact report to demonstrate the positive outcomes that were possible.

Join Learn to Earn Dayton and the Early Grade Literacy Collaborative on Thursday, May 9, at 5 p.m. for a presentation from Ken Williams, author of Ruthless Equity. Mr. Williams will challenge educators to end dysfunctional practices and create classroom environments based on mastery of essential outcomes. The event is free, but registration is encouraged. The event will take place at the Montgomery County Employment Opportunity Center, 4303 W. Third St. https://williamsauthorvisit.eventbrite.com/ Classroom educators, district and school-based administrators, and K-12 school staff will benefit from the lively discussion and valuable information.

The Carnegie Corporation has named Learn to Earn Dayton/Omega CDC one of 11 finalists from across the nation for its Profiles in Collective Leadership. Our partnership will be featured on their website and we will have the opportunity to participate in a Community of Practice, a series of virtual learning experiences hosted by Transcend, which will focus on peer-to-peer organizational capacity-building opportunities, expanding their networks, exploring topics and challenges based on their needs, and learning from and with other partnerships committed to collaborative problem-solving and greater opportunities for students. We are incredibly excited by the opportunity to participate in the Community of Practice. Our small and mighty team has worked hard to learn best practices and create sustainable systems that will best serve our community. The national reputation of the Carnegie Foundation and the Profiles in Collective Leadership Award will help strengthen our process for greater impact and elevate our community in the eyes of both local and national decision makers.

Learn to Earn Dayton, through our partnership with Montgomery County Educational Service Center, is hiring an Assistant to the CEO & Office Manager. This position is responsible for the execution of strategies to support the governing body and its various committees, and to support the recruitment, onboarding and development for staff within the organization. The Assistant helps to coordinate, advance and report progress on the goals of the strategic plan by ensuring that the Board and the staff are engaged in its development and execution. Position Objectives: The Assistant to the CEO & Office Manager is responsible for providing strategic support to improve the functionality, productivity and impact of the organization. The position will assist the CEO and Directors with the execution of administrative tasks that contribute to our strategies to increase academic, economic and social mobility and reduce disparities in student outcomes in Montgomery County. Learn more about the necessary requirements and essential functions, review the full job description online. Interested candidates should send resume and cover letter directly to: stacy.schweikhart@learntoearndayton.org.

The 2022-2023 Learn to Earn Dayton Annual Report is here! Within these pages, learn about innovative programs to support academic achievement, as well as place-based, two-generational efforts to support the whole family. Whether it is through the launching of a pilot program within a single school or the administration of a county-wide collaborative, Learn to Earn Dayton exists to increase the intellectual capital of the region. We can only chart a path to the future if we have a deep understanding of where we are. With that in mind, this report serves the region by providing data on educational outcomes for key milestones along the cradle-to-career continuum, with a special emphasis on year-over-year progress and status of pandemic rebound. Included in this year's report are gap closing counts for the number of additional students who must reach each milestone in order for our community to close achievement gaps. We intend for this data, particularly the gap closing information, to serve as a call to action. Take a look at the online flipbook version or download a version of the annual report here.

Throughout 2022-2023, Learn to Earn Dayton engaged in 12 months of deep collaboration with school districts, local colleges, government agencies, neighborhood nonprofits, and families as part of "Accelerate ED," a program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to help smooth pathways for students to earn college degrees. As that program came to an end, we were thrilled when Learn to Earn Dayton learned we would be the beneficiary of a two-year commitment to put that plan into action for the benefit of Ohio's students. To pilot the program, L2ED has worked closely with educational leaders from urban, suburban, and rural districts to determine how this national model can best serve Ohio's students. While our focus is on serving our local students, there has been valuable learning provided by national partners across the Accelerate ED community. In early February, teams of K-12, higher education, workforce, and intermediary leaders from dozens of states, regions, and cities gathered to share success, collaborate on common challenges, and learn from experts and one another.

Join Omega CDC for the Hope Zone Future Self Day, an opportunity for high school students to think about their future. This event will be an afternoon of exploration alongside local employers, college financial aid advisors, and other resources to support their future goals. Dayton Public Schools High School students, parents, and caregivers are invited to attend. This session will be in person on February 24, 2024, at Thurgood Marshall High School, 4447 Hoover Ave Dayton, OH 45417 from 11 am - 3 pm. Students, Register Here! Local organizations, partners, and business professionals are also invited to contribute to the event by either having an informational table and sharing resources, running a workshop / presenting, or being a sponsor. Interested in volunteering? Sign up today! Questions? Email: hopezone@omegacdc.org

As a service to the members of the Summer + Afterschool Collaborative, Learn to Earn Dayton is coordinating information sharing and peer review sessions for any districts or afterschool partners planning to submit a grant package to become a 21st CCLC. The grant application portal will open March 4, 2024, and all grant application packages will be due April 5, 2024. Be sure you have an account set up, plan to attend the ODEW trainings (red below), review the grant application template, and get ahead of the game. Review this page for details on registration and setting an account for federal award management. Review this folder of resources. In addition to curriculum recommendations and planning tools, you’ll find sample applications from past successfully funded programs, including scored rubrics that show what the reviewers liked (and where there are opportunities for improvement). Join us for a series of peer review sessions (in blue below)! We’ll review language, budgets, and timelines, make recommendations, and help to ensure strong applications! See the flyer here or download it now. Questions? Contact Wesley Biles, II, at wesley.biles2@learntoearndayton.org *********************** Important Dates to Know: Ohio Department of Education & Workforce Hosted Webinars Learn more and register online. RESCHEDULDED DATES (as of 1/24/24) BIDDERS CONFERENCE Date: February 13, 2024 (new date!) Join the SASC Cohort for a Group Watch (below) Location: Microsoft Teams Webinar Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION Date: February 20, 2024 (new date!) Location: Microsoft Teams Webinar Time: 9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. SASC Hosted Information + Review Series Sessions hosted at MCESS Regional Center (4801 Springfield St, Dayton, OH 45431) Tuesday, 2/13/24, 8:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Group Watch Session (Bidders Conference) plus, kickoff meeting of cohort, set expectations, Q&A Wednesday, 2/21/24, 10:30 a.m.-Noon Review grant application requirements. Discuss details of virtual Q&A. Connect to programming and partners. Thursday, 3/7/24, 10:30 a.m.-Noon Review first drafts and share feedback. Tuesday, 3/19/24, 10:30 a.m.-Noon Review the second draft, ensure strong attachments for application package. Tuesday, 4/2/24, 10:30 a.m.-Noon FINAL REVIEW. Last minute changes. Get ready to submit for the April 5 deadline.

Join the Diversifying Recruitment Educators Association for Miami Valley (DREAM) professional learning community to benefit from the "Teachable Moments" series this school year. These valuable professional development sessions are designed specifically for educators. Join us to network with fellow teachers, administrators, and colleagues from across the region and gain continuing education units (CEUs). There is no cost for this workshop. This session will be in person on February 15, 2024, at the MCESC 200 S. Keowee Street Dayton, OH 45402 from 4:30-6:00 pm. Light dinner and door prizes available. RSVP by February 12. Questions? Contact one of the team leads: Amber Thompson Diondra Copeland Brittany Mason Register Here!

As 2023 came to a close, students at Learn to Earn Dayton's Mighty Classrooms (with Trotwood-Madison) benefitted from some seasonal encouragement. Kindergarteners and first graders got a special visit from University of Dayton Flyer Koby Brea. Brea read basketball-themed stories, signed pictures that the students had drawn, shared insights about college, and encouraged the students to show up to school every day. The following week, the Men's Basketball team visited second graders to talk with the students, distribute gifts, read a story, answer questions, and deliver best wishes for the holiday season. The Mighty Classrooms are an initiative of Learn to Earn Dayton's Early Grade Literacy Collaborative, made possible with support from The Iddings Foundation. This partnership with Dayton 6th focuses on encouraging all students to show up to school every day. The basketball players emphasize that just as every play on the court matters in winning a big game, every day in school matters in reaching for academic goals. Check out the photos below, and we encourage your to follow Dayton6th on Twitter to see all the action (and this great video put together by their team)!

In January, Learn to Earn Dayton and Montgomery County Educational Service Center teamed up to offer comprehensive training for staff and educators who work with students and families through Omega CDC in Northwest Dayton. Day one focused on the science of reading and day two focused on dyslexia. This two-day training was provided to partners from Omega CDC who are interested in deepening their understanding of how students learn to read. Many of these engaged educators work closely with students and their families through wrap-around supports services, out-of-school time learning programs (summer or afterschool), and two-generation interventions for full family success. Both trainings were led by Rebecca Conley -- Lead Literacy Supervisor at the Montgomery County Educational Service Center. Conley has years of experience in the classroom, and her dedication to ensuring literacy equity drove her to specialize in a way that allows her to bring these skills to districts, teachers, and the wider community. She shared her passion for the work, "Every child has the right to learn to read. There shouldn't be any child who leaves school and is not a fully functionally literate human being." She highlighted the emotional relevance of these tools and practices as well, "I don't want any student to feel like they're not good enough -- because they are. And through the science of reading and structured literacy and a better understanding of dyslexia, we can make sure ALL students have the ability to read." Jane McGee-Rafal, Early Grade Literacy Collaborative team member, helped coordinate the event on behalf of Learn to Earn Dayton. She celebrated Conley's approach, sharing, "Rebecca is so talented at translating words on a page to explicit practices. Throughout the training you could see the moments when the lightbulb went on or the lessons 'clicked' for participants." DAY ONE The first session dug into the interdisciplinary body of evidence known as the science of reading. The goals of the day were that each participant secures a basic understanding of the science of reading and how it impacts literacy instructions and that each participant secures a basic understanding of structured literacy. The professional development included an exploration of research articles, videos, common definitions, and small group conversation that helped to translate the catch phrases of the science of reading to identifiable areas of intervention where team members can provide support for struggling readers. With this expanded knowledge of HOW students learn to read and write proficiently, these educators and partners will be better able to serve students. "It is WONDERFUL to know that most children are capable of reading at an early age if the science of reading is incorporated" ~ Reflection from participant Participants came away with the working knowledge that the science of reading is not a one-size-fits all approach or a singular program of instruction, rather it's a research-driven understanding of how proficient reading and writing develop, why some learners struggle, and how we can more effectively assess and intervene to address reading difficulties. One attendee expressed how helpful the day was in that it "thoroughly explained the WHY behind the process of learning to read." She continued that this better understanding of the many brain functions that have to come together at one time for a student to become a reader is critical as she works to recognize why a student might be struggling, which aspect may be causing trouble, and how she can better support them on their journey to reading proficiency. DAY TWO The follow-up continued the focus on how to recognize and support learning challenges by offering the "Experience Dyslexia" simulation. Led by Conely, with table leaders from Learn to Earn Dayton and Omega CDC, participants dealt with multiple reading, auditory and visual-motor problems. The learning proved incredibly meaningful, albeit frustrating. One overhead statement included, "I can't do this for 5 minutes; if this is what students are dealing with it's no wonder they give up." Participants had the opportunity to process the significant stress that exists based on challenges experienced in the simulation. As part of the day, participants were equipped with helpful information and gained first hand experience that leads to greater empathy for the young learners struggling to read. CONVENING PARTNERS This training opportunity emerged because of Learn to Earn Dayton's deep partnership with Omega CDC through the Northwest Dayton Partnership and Promise Neighborhood/HOPE Zone. Omega CDC has set a priority goal that a 45% of third graders living in the Hope Zone (Northwest Dayton Neighborhoods) will read at or above grade level by 2027. That aspirational goal is achievable with the commitment to partnership and matching high quality teaching with out-of-school time educators, tutors, mentors, and community partners, combining to better support the learning process for student success. The training included the call to action that it is critical to provide support and encouragement at home, at school, and in the community. Learn to Earn Dayton is currently exploring how to provide this valuable experience to additional members of the Summer + Afterschool Collaborative.

As part of Learn to Earn Dayton's service to the Summer + Afterschool Collaborative, we are pleased to provide Learning Circle licenses to partner agencies. This benefit is generously underwritten by the Charles D. Berry Foundation. Learning Circle is an important part of monitoring and measuring school time behaviors, attendance, and academic progress of students in summer or afterschool programs. Connecting the dots between school and out-of-school time (OST) has never been easier than it is now. What Is It? Learning Circle connects otherwise separate educational data to demonstrate the impact that collaborative programs can have on student success. More simply -- Learning Circle is a FERPA-compliant software that can serve as the connector between school district data (attendance, behavior, educational achievement) and OST data (attendance, behavior, individual interventions, etc.). School districts input their data into the back end of the system, and each OST partner has access to their own dashboard that (with caregiver permission) features each student enrolled in their program. In the past many OST programs would not have any insights into what was happening during the school day data unless they requested items such as report cards from parents, interviewed teachers, or requested documents directly from this school. Now, all of this is available on demand and updated daily within the Learning Circle system. Why is this important? We can think of two major reasons: Identifying opportunities to better serve students. Monitoring your students' academic, behavior, and attendance school performance allows you to support student needs as they arise. For example, if many of your students are performing exceedingly well in Science and Math, it may be wise to invest in more advanced STEM activities and curriculum to continue to scaffold and reinforce lessons learned in school. Conversely, if students are performing poorly in English Language Arts, you may want to invest in more foundational lessons and curriculum to bring students back up to grade level. Compliance with Local, State, and Federal grants and contracts. Compliance is just a fancy word for reporting; something that is required of nearly all funding these days. Grants, contracts, and philanthropy generally are becoming more and more focused on data collection and evaluation. Learning Circle allows you access to quantifiable data on student demographics, academic achievement, attendance, and behavior. Student data accessible and organized for ease of export and analysis on demand as reports arise. Data secured through a military-level firewall and updated daily in most cases. We encourage you and your organization to continue to implement and explore the functionalities of Learning Circle. In the last three years, the number of students enrolled in Learning Circle, a program to track student outcomes and success, has nearly tripled! If you are an active member of SASC and interested in learning more about how your OST program can benefit from this invaluable resource, be in touch to request a license or get on the wait list. For technical assistance, training, and troubleshooting please reach out to Tisha.Peters@learningcirclesoftware.com and or PhilipFerrari1@gmail.com.