Bayside's Academic Club Students Close Literacy Gaps Despite Distance Learning and Other Challenges

In the wake of nationwide first-attempts at K-12 distance learning, much has been written about the difficulties, frustrations, and expectations unmet. For more than three dozen Linda Vista families enrolled in Bayside Community Center’s Academic Club, however, outcomes are overwhelmingly positive despite significant challenges.

Challenges Overcome

In addition to the technical challenges associated with distance learning which included learning new digital platforms, distracting home environments, and poor internet connections, Academic Club students faced other challenges as well.

On average, students first enter Bayside’s Academic Club 2 full years behind their current grade level while returning students typically begin 1 year behind. As academic expectations increase with each grade level if students do not develop a firm base of literacy skills early in their school career literacy gaps widen over time. Long-term results of literacy gaps unaddressed can include absenteeism, higher drop-out rates, less economic mobility, lower wages, and what some author’s have called the ‘school to prison pipeline.’

Additionally, students with English speaking family members typically progress faster and with greater consistency, while those without sufficient English language support often become part of intergenerational cycles of illiteracy.

Nearly every family that participated in Bayside’s Academic Club this year faced one or more socio-economic challenges including but not limited to; food insecurity, housing insecurity, or economic insecurity. These conditions, which often undermine and adversely affect student learning, were significantly exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. In April, 88% of these families reported some form of lost income while 1 in 5 had no working adults and no secure means of providing essentials like food or paying for utilities including internet service. Distance learning was a secondary concern at most.

Progress Made

Despite significant challenges, Academic Club students demonstrated amazing growth overall and 4 students advanced beyond their grade level this year.

New Students displayed consistent improvement in the first 45 days whether they began attending the Academic Club at the beginning of the school year (red line), several weeks after the school year began (green line), or just as Bayside’s program moved entirely online (yellow line).

Students enrolled in the Academic Club from the beginning of the school year (red and blue lines) demonstrated more than a full year of academic progress and closed existing literacy gaps by 6-11% by the end of the school year.

Students who enrolled later in the year were also able to reduce existing literacy gaps after enrolling in Bayside’s program and demonstrated the equivalent of 1.14 years of growth in 29 weeks (green line) and .42 years of growth in only 13 weeks (yellow line).

What Sets Bayside’s Academic Club Apart?

We have long described our program as a student-centered, data-driven afterschool program. Our team regularly evaluates student progress along the lines of phonemic awareness, fluency, broad-scope comprehension, and reading level. Data from individual assessments dictates curriculum content and pace in addition to giving our instructors valuable insight regarding how to leverage student strengths in small group settings.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, our Academic Club staff assumed an expanded role to address family needs. At least two entire weeks were spent assessing and addressing technological obstacles to distance learning including but not limited to helping families identify affordable internet service providers as well as teaching hard skills to parents and students.

Our instructors were also on the frontline of addressing other family needs during this, especially difficult time through food and commodity distributions, continuing to monitor individual family needs, and identifying community resources to meet the need. Families that observed our team’s dedication to serving the whole family and providing the most supportive environment for student learning were more likely to take additional steps to support their student’s participation in the Academic Club.

For more information about Bayside’s Academic Club, to learn how you can help support this program which is radically changing student trajectories despite serious and systemic obstacles, or for a consultation to improve your students’ academic performance please email program founder Adam Osorio at aosorio@baysidecc.org.