Recapping impressive OST work in summer 2021—and looking ahead to summer 2022

As the winter air blows in, it’s the perfect time to warm up with thoughts of summer. In fact, many school districts and afterschool programs know that planning for summer begins in the fall.

Fortunately, the hard work programs, partners, and schools undertook during summer 2021 provided some models that can help make 2022 the best summer yet - including the use of American Rescue Plan funds for a first round response to pandemic related learning loss and acceleration..

On the West Coast, the Partnership for Children & Youth published a report this November, Summer 2021: How California educators met the moment with re-engagement, reconnection, and reimagined learning.

The report looked a range of publicly funded summer learning programs in California in Summer 2021. Eighty-eight percent of California School districts offered some kind of summer program. Of the 24 districts interviewed in the report, 75 percent partnered with community-based organizations to support enriched programming and/or staffing. California districts had access to American Rescue plan funds, but also strategic state investments. California’s AB 86 Expanded Learning Opportunity Grants provided an additional $4.6 billion in investments for summer and additional learning to help students recover from the pandemic. The size of the joint investments helped the state reach a broad range of schools and students, but the lessons from the investments are applicable to all states engaging in summer programs.

The report begins reviewing the known research-based best practices for summer programs (voluntary, no-cost, at least five weeks, academics and enrichment, focus on strengths, etc.), and goes on to detail promising practices identified from statewide data collection and a series of interviews with summer learning providers.

Here are some highlights:

• 70 percent of districts provided wellness or mental health services including providing on-site counselors, partnering with community based mental and health service providers and ensuring staff access to mental health supports
   
• Staff were supported through a variety of opportunities and methods:
  • opportunities for full-time positions;
  • planning and professional development time;
  • being given opportunities to choose topics they were interested in;
  • being able to try out new curriculum and pedological methods;
  • being provided pay increases and stipends; and
  • being provided opportunities to learn from cross collaboration between community partners and school day teachers.
     
• The report mentions a teacher survey by the National Summer Learning Project showing between 81 and 97 percent  of respondents reported enjoying their summer experiences.  Teachers mentioned they “benefited from the flexibility and fun that summer offers, including interacting with students in different environments, working more closely with staff from community-based organizations, and getting inspiration for new activities to implement in the fall.”
   
• High school students (often the least served by district summer programs) such as those in the Elk Grove Unified School District were given paid work experience to support teachers in elementary summer camps. Upon completion, 78 percent of all students participating expressed an interest in pursuing a career in education, a 90 percent increase. Additionally, the district offered opportunities for other high schoolers including career academies, resume development, and building independence (such as paying bills), in addition to sports, music and other enrichment.
   
• Community partnerships were key players in the work including increasing staffing to support larger numbers of sites and students served; allowing for part day models of academics in the mornings and enrichment in the afternoon; and offering new experiences for students and teachers.
   
• A focus on coordination allowed for joint trainings for all staff in areas such as mental health, STEM and trauma informed care; the ability to work internally across departments such as English Language Learners; food services and special education; and the important time for regular conversations between community partners and school leaders such as a district’s use of Zoom for weekly 20 minute check ins.
• Investments in additional capacity supported coordination, partnerships, equity, and professional development including additional staffing in the areas of “professional development and oversight; community partner coordination; and interpreter/cultural liaison.”
   
• To ensure access to students most in need of programming, even where summer offerings were open to all students, districts offered staggered registrations open only to highest need students first, staff conducted one-on-one outreach to the families and students most likely to be disconnected; and operations were designed to support parents including extended hours from 7:30 to 6 p.m.; subsidizing program costs; and providing transportation.

The report concludes with recommendations for the upcoming summer, including: bringing all partners to the planning table early including input from students, parents and educators about their goals and visions for summer; supporting full time positions, positive work environments, and competitive wages for staff; understanding the data on summer including summer enrollment, funding, number and types of staff, program duration and partnerships; diversifying among school based and community based partners; providing state level guidance and technical assistance; and not forgetting that this is truly an opportunity to think big!

On the East Coast, some of that “big picture” thinking led to an impressive Summer Matters Campaign in Vermont. The campaign was provided $4 million in funds to support summer programs, and received an overwhelming $7.4 million in grant requests. Even with the funding limitations, the program served 538 program sites and was able to hire 250 local youth to help serve in programs as well. A majority or programs provided options at no or low cost, transportation, and food. Programs were able to serve youth with special needs and offered a geographic spread across 13 of 14 of Vermont’s counties. You can find a map of program sites on the Vermont Afterschool webpage.

Vermont has already begun collecting examples of how impactful the funding was for programs and communities. For instance:

• Camp Agape in Plymouth, Vermont was able add 20 additional slots for their community and increase hiring to keep the ratios low for the high-need children they serve. The camp was offered for free, and staff were training in youth mental health first aid and crisis prevention. The program was also able to provide free transportation for campers. The grant also allowed them to hire a licensed mental health counselor to provide support around SEL skills, trauma, and crisis intervention.

• An Audubon program in Huntington, Vermont offered experiential learning camps for youth in outdoor settings, teaching campers to use a compass, identify wild edibles and make their own lip balm, among other skills. The summer grant allowed the program to increase staffing and extend programming to an additional 64 campers. They also developed a leadership program which allowed teens to receive a stipend to work with younger children, and gain workforce and leadership skills in the process.

If you haven’t already, now is a great time to begin thinking of warmer weather and planning for your summer programs in 2022. For inspiration, check out The Wallace Foundation’s Summer Learning Toolkit and other amazing resources to inspire your best summer yet. And, if you are still seeking funding for your summer program, use our America After 3PM summer data to help make the case.

We continue collecting examples of how American Rescue Plan funds have made an impact across states and communities. They warm our hearts and help us to advocate for more opportunities as well. To contribute your state, district or program’s story please reach out to our team!