Recovering Bright Futures
Every student deserves a Recovering Bright Futures Program.
The Department is partnering with Prenda for a new and exciting grant opportunity to support your students and families who have experienced learning loss and who have may have experienced significant stress and disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – Recovering Bright Futures.
The Recovering Bright Futures Program offers School Districts and communities the opportunity to provide students with access to Learning Pods starting this fall.
Learning Pods may be new to many, but throughout the pandemic and across the country, they have served thousands of students in a small-group, multi-age and trauma sensitive learning environments. Learning Pods are particularly helpful to students who have experienced learning loss and will thrive with more individualized attention.
The Department will offer grants to School Districts to support the creation of District Learning Pods as an option for those students who might benefit from this unique, supportive educational environment. The Department will also directly support the creation of Community Learning Pods, especially for families who do not have a District Learning Pod available to them.
School Districts interested in the Recovering Bright Futures Program will received grant application packets separately.
What is a Learning Pod?
Learning Pods involve, small, in-person, multi-age groupings of students in a trauma sensitive environment that allows children to stabilize, rekindle curiosity, and accelerate learning so that they might catch up with their peers. Generally, a micro or learning pod has between 5 – 10 students in grades K-2, 3-5 or 6-8 groupings. One New Hampshire elementary education teacher, who taught in a Learning Pod this year, described it as outstanding and noted that her own child was thriving using this learning system. The learning system, which is aligned to the New Hampshire academic standards, focuses on empowering learners through three different mastery and project-based learning modes each day: Conquer, Collaborate and Create.
Instruction of students in the District Learning Pod will reflect a partnership between the local education agency (LEA) and Prenda, which includes the following:
- Instruction will be conducted 100% by Prenda.
- Special Education services will be provided both by Prenda, where appropriate, and the LEA. Prenda has the capacity to meet many IEP accommodations, and certain specialized services will continue to be provided by the LEA. The LEA will continue to be responsible for IEP support services.
- Instruction will occur in an approved facility that is agreed upon by the LEA and Prenda Schools.
- The LEA and Prenda will agree on data reporting, including attendance, student progress, etc.
- The LEA will agree to receive students back from the Learning Pod if the LEA, family or Prenda determine that the student would benefit from a return to the classroom learning environment.