A growing body of evidence points to the importance of giving students the chance to learn and apply skills in real-world settings. Experiential learning is linked to improved academic and social-emotional learning and college and career readiness. But expanding learning beyond the classroom can prove challenging. New delivery models are needed that link public schools to community-wide resources, as well as programs able to facilitate learning that may occur anytime and anywhere.
In Boston, public schools and community-based organizations are experimenting with expanded learning opportunities (ELOs) as a way to meet the challenges of the twenty-first century learner. ELOs blend in-school experiences with community-based activities, encouraging innovation that can engage and empower students. A key facet of the work in Boston has been to grant academic credit to students participating in out-of-school learning. By piloting various ELO-for-credit models, the district has begun to articulate additional pathways to a high school diploma and success in college and careers. In this brief, we examine ongoing work in Boston and efforts by Boston After School and Beyond, a prominent Boston ELO program intermediary, to advance the development of a formalized system for providing students with ELOs for academic credit.