It’s National Summer Learning Week, a time to celebrate the importance of keeping young people engaged, safe, and healthy during the summer months.
We all know the old-fashioned version of summer learning: students doubling down on intensive school work to catch up academically. What if there’s a better way?
Since 2022, Wallace has collaborated with nonprofit FHI360 to build the District Summer Learning Network (DSLN). This ongoing, national network has helped more than 100 districts and six states design, carry out, and sustain high-quality, evidence-based summer learning programs that prepare students for academic success and support their well-being.
A research team at NYU Metro Center, which is studying the DSLN work, has produced a series of “Summer Snapshots.” These reports highlight how districts across the country are reimagining what a summer program can be. A final report is forthcoming.
- The first summer snapshot shows how school districts are reimagining the way students make up credits in summer. Manchester’s Flight School in Connecticut and Oakland’s Summer HAcK programs in California are moving beyond credit recovery to create programs that keep young people engaged. Both districts steeped their programs in years of research finding that successful programs combine academics with enrichment activities and project-based learning.
- The second snapshot looks at four rural districts using partnerships to expand access to summer programming. In Oklahoma, Muldrow Public Schools partners with the Cherokee Nation to teach basketweaving and stickball, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers offers a water safety program for students in Stigler Public Schools. Blount County Schools in Alabama works with first responders, artists, doctors, and farmers to help young people explore different career pathways. And in California, Mountain Empire Unified School District partners with a remote learning company to teach students all about video game design, coding, and LEGO robotics.
- The third snapshot highlights three urban districts using evidence-based planning practices to strengthen summer learning. In Newark, New Jersey, it all starts with the superintendent setting a vision for summer as an important opportunity for fun and enrichment. Rochester, Minnesota, creates a dedicated summer learning team that works closely with district staff and individual program leaders. Seattle, Washington, makes summer learning a standing agenda item in cross-departmental meetings, designing summer programming to complement the school-year curriculum.
- An additional brief offers strategies for sustaining progress on summer learning in the absence of predictable funding. Summer learning leaders in 13 districts across the country have used four key strategies to maintain progress on summer learning in the face of these challenges: engaging in early, collaborative planning; building broad demand and buy-in; building diverse and durable partnerships; and tapping multiple funding streams.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the difference between summer learning programs and traditional summer school?
A: Unlike traditional summer school, which is often focused on remediation or credit recovery, high-quality summer learning programs combine academics with enrichment and hands-on experiences. See this video for examples.
Q: What makes a summer learning program effective?
A: Effective summer learning programs start planning early, recruit and support strong staff, set clear attendance expectations, create a welcoming climate, and pair academics with engaging enrichment, according to research.
Q: How can I start planning my summer program?
A: The Summer Learning Toolkit offers more than 50 evidence-based tools, templates, calendars, and planning resources to help districts and their partners design and strengthen summer programs.
Summer learning programs come in many shapes and sizes from districts large and small. If this National Summer Learning Week has inspired you to start your own program next year, Wallace has lots of resources available to help you on your journey.
