{"id":717734,"date":"2021-09-04T18:05:55","date_gmt":"2021-09-04T22:05:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=717734"},"modified":"2021-09-04T18:05:59","modified_gmt":"2021-09-04T22:05:59","slug":"kids-learn-everywhere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/kids-learn-everywhere\/","title":{"rendered":"Kids Learn Everywhere"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">6<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fkids-learn-everywhere%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=717734&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/027807AA-72B9-4625-8EBC-23F3F7801BEF-scaled-e1630620771810.jpeg?w=1200&amp;h=800&amp;ixlib=react-9.0.3\" class=\"ff-og-image-inserted\" \/><\/div>\n<p>Imagine an education ecosystem where students get academic credit for taking piano lessons, attending courses at a science museum, or even playing AAU basketball. This is now a reality for families in New Hampshire, and policymakers in other states should pay close attention.<\/p>\n<p>The Granite State\u2019s trailblazing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.education.nh.gov\/partners\/education-outside-the-classroom\/learning-everywhere\">Learn Everywhere<\/a> program is<a href=\"https:\/\/newhampshirebulletin.com\/2021\/08\/04\/school-boards-watching-closely-as-learn-everywhere-gets-rolling\/\"> finally off the ground<\/a> despite <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nhpr.org\/nh-news\/2019-10-17\/in-rare-move-n-h-lawmakers-delay-learn-everywhere-educational-program\">state democrats\u2019 and teacher unions\u2019 previous efforts to kill it<\/a>. Originally passed in 2018, the policy allows students to earn academic credit for learning that happens outside of classroom walls.<\/p>\n<p>Learn Everywhere is the brainchild of New Hampshire Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut, who was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.edchoice.org\/podcasts\/ep-151-learn-everywhere-with-frank-edelblut\/\">inspired<\/a> by an after-school robotics program led by local engineers in Manchester. What Edelblut observed while watching that program is a rare sight in public education: kids buzzing with excitement and deeply engaged in substantive learning with members of their community.<\/p>\n<p>Commissioner Edelbult was bothered by the fact that not all of them would get credit for this program under the state\u2019s<a href=\"https:\/\/reachinghighernh.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/Comparing-Extended-Learning-Opportunities-and-Learn-Everywhere-2.14.2019.pdf\"> Extended Learning Opportunities<\/a> policy, which was deferential to school boards and thus at the mercy of local politics.<\/p>\n<p>But thanks to Learn Everywhere, that\u2019s all changing as districts are now required to accept credit for state-approved courses.<\/p>\n<p>Under the program, both individuals and organizations\u2014such as non-profits, tutors, and museums\u2014can apply to the State Board of Education for approval. Applications are evaluated based on numerous factors, including provider qualifications, expected outcomes, and student assessment plans. The Department of Education will also conduct a monitoring visit before a full five-year approval is granted to providers.<\/p>\n<p>This inclusive approach to credentialing could open up a world of possibilities for kids to earn school credit outside conventional classrooms. For example, a local orchestra could set up a music course or a computer programmer could teach kids how to code. Teachers are also free to create their own programs, which might be targeted to disadvantaged students or perhaps teach a skill they\u2019re passionate about.<\/p>\n<p>In December, the New Hampshire Academy of Science\u2014an educational non-profit with professional-grade science equipment\u2014was the first provider <a href=\"https:\/\/insidesources.com\/board-of-ed-dems-reverse-course-back-first-learn-everywhere-program\/\">approved<\/a> and can now offer <a href=\"https:\/\/reachinghighernh.org\/2020\/12\/14\/nh-academy-of-science-becomes-approved-first-learn-everywhere-program\/\">several courses<\/a> for credit, including Physics Research and AP Biology. Since then, the State Board has also approved <a href=\"https:\/\/www.education.nh.gov\/partners\/education-outside-classroom\/approved-learn-everywhere-programs\">programs<\/a> offered by Seacoast Science Center, the math and reading education company Kumon, North Main Music, and others.<\/p>\n<p>To be sure, Learn Everywhere\u2019s policy isn\u2019t perfect. One problem is that no portion of the state\u2019s $19,283 in per-pupil education funding supports it, meaning families have to pay out of pocket for any program fees or rely on discounts if they can\u2019t afford to.<\/p>\n<p>But there are a few reasons why policymakers across the country would be wise to follow New Hampshire\u2019s lead.<\/p>\n<p>Most importantly, Learn Everywhere recognizes the critical role that communities play in educating kids and the program leverages the expertise of local artists, scientists, entrepreneurs, and others. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.educationnext.org\/straight-conversation-scholar-jay-greene-importance-field-trips\/\">Research<\/a> indicates that students benefit from culturally enriching field trips, which this model takes to a whole new level. While some of this learning is already taking place, a state-administered policy could help expand opportunities, and if the state were to allocate education dollars to the program it would ensure access for all kids.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Learn Everywhere is designed for students who are still enrolled in public schools, which could help grow momentum for additional innovation within public K-12 education. Despite decades of expanding school choice policies, the vast majority of students in the U.S. are still enrolled in public schools. Providing these families with meaningful education options will only enlarge the political tent for reform-minded policymakers who need as much support as they can get.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, while Learn Everywhere doesn\u2019t affect funding for New Hampshire school districts, it\u2019s not hard to imagine how it could save money for schools or even taxpayers. When students are learning in the community, there\u2019s less strain on staff, which could help free up time and resources for other uses. It\u2019s also easy to see how rural districts that struggle with talent acquisition would benefit from tapping into the existing human capital in their communities.<\/p>\n<p>Learn Everywhere is a glimpse into the future of a more personalized education system in which students are actively learning in their communities. State policymakers across the country should follow the Granite State\u2019s lead and recognize that education is more than just direct instruction and textbooks\u2014it can happen everywhere.<\/p>\n<p><em>The views expressed in this piece are the author\u2019s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><i>Aaron Garth Smith is the director of education reform at Reason Foundation, a non-profit think tank advancing free minds and free markets.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Imagine an education ecosystem where students get academic credit for taking piano lessons, attending courses at a science museum, or even playing AAU basketball. This is now a reality for &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1893803,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-717734","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/717734","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=717734"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/717734\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1893803"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=717734"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=717734"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=717734"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}