While middle and upper-income children are able to keep learning each summer by visiting museums and camps or going on family vacations, children from low-income families are falling behind. High-quality summer learning programs are a cost-effective way to prevent summer learning loss and close both the opportunity and achievement gaps.
Summer can be a costly time for low-income families. According to Jennifer Peck, Executive Director of the Partnership for Children and Youth, “While middle-income children retain knowledge or, in many cases, make gains over the summer, low-income children fall behind.” Summer learning programs are a cost effective way to prevent summer learning loss and close the opportunity gap. In order to better understand the cost of such investments, Summer Matters conducted a small survey of partner organizations offering high quality summer learning opportunities in California.
This guide is intended to better acquaint school board members and superintendents with summer learning, and to help them establish or expand programs that result in greater learning and enrichment for the students they serve.
Research and practice demonstrate that if schools and districts are serious about closing the achievement gap, investing in summer learning strategies must be a top priority.
In select communities throughout California, districts are taking a proactive approach to address summer learning loss by using the funds provided by the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF). Unlike traditional summer school, these summer learning programs combine much-needed academic content with fun, engaging activities.
High-quality summer learning programs aren’t just nice to have; for many students, they’re the difference between the potential for success and falling far behind their peers. In short, if you want to give your district’s most vulnerable students the best chance to succeed — YOU NEED SUMMER.
Using data from surveys, focus groups and program observations in the summer of 2013, the reports listed below are intended to help education leaders and program providers understand specific strategies to meet time-sensitive priorities around Common Core preparation, students’ social and emotional growth, and teacher and staff development.
This packet is a resource to help you advocate for summer learning to be included in your school district’s Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP) and corresponding investments. This guide includes:
This 3 minute video illustrates the difference between summer learning programs and remedial summer school. See how summer learning programs help students retain and build-on their achievements during the school year.
Download our brochure to learn about the value of summer learning programs to students, educators, and communities. The brochure is available in both English & Spanish. Obtain high-quality, printed copies of the brochure by contacting the Summer Matters campaign.
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