The National Summer Learning Project
School districts have long thought of summer as a time for remedial work. But summertime can be used to do more: closing both the opportunity and academic achievement gaps.
What we did
Summer can offer children opportunities for enrichment and sharpening of academic skills. Children from families experiencing poverty, however, often lack such experiences. School districts working with community organizations could change this.
The National Summer Learning Project had two aims:
- Help five school districts to shape and run high-quality summer programs for thousands of children
- See how to carry out effective programs and whether they affect academics and other areas
The free programs included a mix of academics and enrichment. They were offered five days a week for five to six weeks.
What we learned
The RAND Corp. carried out research in three phases:
- 2011-2012: Evaluation of district programs and feedback to strengthen them
- 2013-2015: Outcomes for 3,192 rising fourth graders selected to take part in the programs compared with outcomes for similar students who had not been selected
- 2017: Examination of whether outcomes had lasted.
Our Grantee Partners
The Boston Public Schools
Dallas Independent School District
Duval County Public Schools
Pittsburgh School District
Rochester City School District
Key Studies
Learning from Summer: Effects of Voluntary Summer Learning Programs on Low-Income Urban Youth
High-quality summer programs provide benefits in reading and math to students who frequently attend them.
Report
Getting to Work on Summer Learning: Recommended Practices for Success, 2nd ed.
This report provides guidance to district leaders who want to launch or improve summer learning programs.
Report
Summer—A Time for Learning: Five Lessons From School Districts and Their Partners About Running Successful Programs
A Wallace Perspective offers lessons for planning and running effective summer programs.
Report
