5th Quarter Portfolio Funding Categories

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2022 5th Quarter Portfolio Funding Categories

As part of the 5th Quarter Portfolio Application, applicants may request funding to support their summer learning program. Funding will be awarded to programs who fit the criteria and who have a proven track record of results and demonstrated ability to implement high-quality summer learning programs. BPS will prioritize funding for programs serving students identified as English Learners, those experiencing homelessness, students who attend schools identified as high-risk by the BPS Office of School Transformation and Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and students who are near and close to graduating. 

5th Quarter Portfolio applicants may apply for specified funding in the categories listed below:

  • English Learner Summer Learning Academy
  • Summer Learning Academy 
  • High School Credit Recovery

Below is a description of eligible programs and services for each funding category:

English Learner Summer Learning Academy

What are the eligible programs or service for the English Learners service category?

For the purposes of the 2022 5th Quarter Portfolio, the English Learner Summer Learning Academy category is for programs that satisfy all of the minimum criteria for the 5th Quarter Portfolio and provide targeted programming or services for English Learners.  These programs and services must be intended and provided solely to English Learners (ELs) or have separate strands for ELs and non-ELs. Programs that serve some English Learners integrated into a larger program without separate strands targeted support for supplemental English Language acquisition and development are not eligible for this category. Examples of eligible English Learner programs and service include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Programs that specifically serve language-based demographics of English Learners, such as programs for Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, or Somali students.
  • Language acquisition programs, such as tutoring, remediation, content-specific academic interventions.   
  • College and career readiness programs for English Learners including but not limited to: work internships, coding, college prep, college interviews, college visits, job training, resume building, etc.
  • Intensive literacy instruction in English Learners’ native languages, and age-appropriate core content instruction in the native language, taught by qualified teacher(s).

All programs in the English Learner service category must comply with the following guidelines:

  • All students must be English Learners (Limited English Proficient code) with ELD levels 1 through 5. NOTE: English Learners who are coded as Former Limited English Proficient or Never Limited English Proficient are ineligible for this program. 
  • Classrooms must be 100% English Learners to be eligible for funding.
  • Services provided to English Learners must be for the purposes of supplemental English Language acquisition. 
  • Instructors providing direct English language development instruction to ELs must hold a valid ESL License with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Instructors providing direct content-based instruction to ELs must hold a valid SEI Endorsement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Program aides or assistants must work under the supervision of said ESL-licensed or SEI endorsed staff members.
  • Programs must complete the Summer Learning Academy measurement requirements.

What is the definition of an English Learner?

The term “English learner” is defined in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Section 8101(20), as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) as follows: The term “English learner,” when used with respect to an individual, means an individual:

  • who is aged 3 through 21;
  • who is enrolled or preparing to enroll in an elementary school or secondary school;
    • who was not born in the United States or whose native language is a language other than
    • English
    • who is a Native American or Alaska Native, or a native resident of the outlying areas; and
    • or who comes from an environment where a language other than English has had a significant
    • impact on the individual’s level of English language proficiency; or
    • who is migratory, whose native language is a language other than English, and who comes from
    • an environment where a language other than English is dominant; and
  • whose difficulties in speaking, reading, writing, or understanding the English language may be sufficient to deny the individual —
    • the ability to meet the challenging State academic standards;
    • the ability to successfully achieve
    • in classrooms where the language of instruction is English; or the opportunity to participate fully in society.

For more information about Boston Public Schools Office of English Learners please click here.

Summer Learning Academy

What is a Summer Learning Academy?

BPS Summer Learning Academies are programs designed by BPS schools or school-community partnerships, based on the Wallace Foundation’s national research study on Summer Learning. Summer Learning Academies serve as the primary academic summer offerings in BPS, supporting students who would normally attend ‘summer school’ and/or have been identified as needing additional social-emotional support during the summer. 

Which programs are eligible for funding?

To be considered for funding, programs must satisfy all of the conditions of the 5th Quarter Portfolio and the below criteria:

  • Organization must be a BPS school or a registered 501c(3) non-profit organization.
  • Programming must be offered to participating students at no cost
  • Non-profit organizations must commit to fundraising at least 10% of their summer operating costs (unmet need) from sources outside of this 5th Quarter Portfolio.
  • Program must serve a minimum cohort of 30 student participants per site who consistently attend over the course of the entire program. 
  • Program must hire licensed teachers of appropriate grade level and/or content area to conduct academic instruction.
  • The program must offer a minimum number of program hours and academic hours, according to the following grade level guidelines:
    • PRE-K-GRADE 8:
      • Program must span a minimum of 25 total days offered at a minimum of 6 hours per day for a minimum of 150 total program hours.
      • Program must offer a minimum of 75 hours of ELA and/or Math aligned with BPS Academic Standards and grade-level Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
      • Program must include enrichment activities and programming into the schedule.  Enrichment can be provided by program staff, via an afterschool program provider, or through an external organization that is contracted to provide enrichment services.
      • Program must maintain a minimum adult-student ratio at all times during programming: PreK-K – 1:11; Gr. 1-8 – 1:15
    • GRADES 9-12 and Credit Recovery:
      • Program must span a minimum of 20 total days offered at a minimum of 4 hours per day for a minimum of 80 total academic content hours. 
      • The academic content must be aligned with BPS Academic Standards and grade-level Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks or relevant college-level standards.
      • Program must maintain a minimum adult-student ratio at all times during programming: Gr. 9-12 – 1:25
  • Program must recruit and enroll BPS students eligible for proposed programming. Funding is only provided for Boston Public Schools students (does not include charter, private or parochial school students) and funded programs must create new seats to serve BPS students whose schools have selected them for enrollment in a Summer Learning Academy. A “new seat” is defined as a seat not restricted to pre-registered or pre-enrolled students. Programs must accept students on a rolling basis until enrollment closes.
  • School-proposed programs must accept a minimum of 15% of participants from the surrounding neighborhood and/or other school(s). Up to 85% of student participants may be enrolled from the home school.
  • Applicants must attend or complete mandatory training sessions scheduled by the BPS Summer Learning Team.
  • Programs MUST implement the following measurement tools:
    • District Academic Assessment – grades 3-8 (rising 4th-9th)
    • Observation by an Assessment of Program Practices Tool (APT) Certified Observer – all grades
    • Survey of Academic & Youth Outcomes – Youth (SAYO-Y) – grades 3+ (rising 4th+)
    • Holistic Student Assessment – Retrospective Pre Post (HSA-RPP) – grade 5+ (rising 6th+)
    • Survey of Academic & Youth Outcomes – Teacher (SAYO-T) – all grades

High School Credit Recovery

What are the eligible programs or services for the High School Credit Recovery service category?

For the purposes of the 2022 5th Quarter Portfolio, the High School Credit Recovery category is for programs that offer courses intended to issue credits to middle and/or high school students who have failed courses. These programs must be provided to all high school students who have failed one or more courses and are enrolled by his or her guidance counselor. 

  • Program must offer a minimum of 40 hours of academic content in core subject areas (English, Math, History and Science).  The academic content must be aligned with BPS Academic Standards and grade-level Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks or relevant college-level standards.
  • Programs may offer courses outside of the 4 core subject areas.
  • Program must hire licensed teachers of appropriate grade level and/or content area to conduct academic instruction.
  • Programs must accept a minimum of 15% of participants from the surrounding neighborhood and/or other school(s). Up to 85% of student participants may be enrolled from the home school.
  • Programs MUST implement the following measurement tool:
    • Survey of Academic & Youth Outcomes – Youth (SAYO-Y)
      • This youth survey collects student feedback on program experience, skill growth, and (for teens) future plans and expectations.
  • Programs MAY CHOOSE to implement the following measurement tools:
    • Holistic Student Assessment – Retrospective Pre Post (HSA-RPP)
      • This youth survey captures how students perceive their growth in key social-emotional skills, including growth mindset, teamwork, and more.
    • Survey of Academic & Youth Outcomes – Teacher (SAYO-T)
      • This staff survey collects feedback on each student’s growth in key social-emotional skills (and, if applicable, general performance on ELA and Math).
    • Assessment of Program Practices Tool (APT) Observation
      • Using this observer tool, a trained third-party observer rates program quality and student skill growth.

In addition to remedial courses, components of strong applications may include:

  • Social emotional skill development, such as: advisory, job coaching, executive functioning, skill badging 
  • Internships
  • Dual enrollment
  • Strong retention practices

Which students are served in High School Credit Recovery Sites?

Students in grades 6-12 who have failed courses in the 4 core content areas (English, Math, History, and Science) may enroll in courses intended to recover credit for those courses that they failed. Students may enroll in up to two in person courses and two online courses over the course of the summer program.