Researchers examined how summer program leaders from three urban school districts navigated and shaped policies at the district, state, and federal levels.

The team consulted the following sources:

• Public documents and legislation at the federal, state, and city levels
• Board policies from the study districts
• Existing research and analysis of federal and state policy
• Interviews with summer program staff and other officials in the districts
• Interviews with policymakers, leaders, and advocates at the city, state, and federal levels
• Meeting minutes and other documents collected through various National Summer Learning Project-related meetings and events.

Review of Policies and Interviews

The research team relied on interviewees and prior commentary and analysis to review policies. They also examined enacted legislation. In addition, they considered legislation and policies from other states and cities.

Researchers interviewed more than 60 district leaders and staff members in Dallas, Pittsburgh, and Rochester between October 2015 and July 2016. Some were high-ranking district officials. Most were directly responsible for planning, organizing, or overseeing summer learning programs.

They also interviewed more than 20 policy experts, advocates, and practitioners at the federal, state, and city levels. These experts were employees of government organizations, leaders or members of advocacy groups, directors or employees of nonprofits, and directors of summer programs not connected to school districts.

With a semi-structured interview protocol, interviewees described policies affecting district summer programs. Interview topics varied by participant. With district interviewees, for example, researchers asked about federal, state, city, and district policies affecting funding. Policy experts were asked about policies with an impact on summer program scale, sustainability, and quality.

Each protocol was further tailored to the interviewee. Researchers drew on their knowledge of the interviewee’s role and research about that individual's organization. They also tapped publications related to summer program policies.