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The Impact of Summer: New report offers evidence of the short- and long-term value of investments in summer learning programs

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The Impact of Summer: New report offers evidence of the short- and long-term value of investments in summer learning programs

As many in the out-of-school-time field know, the summer months have the potential to widen existing learning inequities contributing to the achievement gap between low-income students and their higher-income peers, or serve as a valuable space to combat this exacerbation and not only prevent learning loss, but also create valuable learning opportunities. This space is more important than ever before, with the exacerbation of these inequities resulting from the pandemic. A new report, Every Summer Counts: A Longitudinal Analysis of Outcomes from the National Summer Learning Project, funded by The Wallace Foundation, details the results of the largest and longest study on summer learning programs that provides evidence for both the long-term and short-term benefits of summer programs on students who had consistent access to high-quality programming.

Conducted by the RAND Corporation, the study began with the start of the National Summer Learning Project in 2011, which followed a group of nearly 6,000 3rd grade students in five urban school districts—Boston; Dallas; Duval County, Florida; Pittsburgh; and Rochester, New York—through to the end of 7th grade. These student were given the opportunity to attend voluntary, five- to six-week summer programming prior to 4th and 5th grades, at no cost to families and with transportation and meals provided. The programming was facilitated by local OST intermediaries and community partners and the study documented the impact of attending summer learning programs on both academic and social and emotional outcomes.

The report details that those students whoattended the program regularly (those who attended 20 or more days of the program, what the researchers called “high attenders”) saw increased academic performance on math evaluations in the fall and spring following their first summers in the program, compared to the control group of their peers who did not have access to these programs. After the second summer of programming, high attenders increased their performance in math, language arts, and social and emotional competencies on evaluations into the spring of the following school year. Building off of previous reports released throughout the duration of this study, this report also follows the students for three years after the summer programming before 5th grade—while the magnitude of academic benefits decreased over these years and were not statistically significant, there were still documented benefits for the high attending students that were educationally meaningful. Overall the report concluded that high-quality summer programming can produce meaningful benefits for students, especially for students are able to attend regularly and for consecutive summers.

Based on these conclusions, the report offered several implications for policy and implementation:

  1. School districts should consider offering voluntary summer learning programs to improve academic and social and emotional learning outcomes, especially for students from low-income families and with low academic performance. Where possible, this programming should be offered for consecutive summers, to yield the greatest outcomes for students.
  2. These programs should last for at least five weeks, with at least three hours per day of academic instruction, plus a mix of enrichment activities that keep students engaged and regularly attending, to maximize the short-term and long-term benefits of programming.
  3. Programs should prioritize student attendance and offering high-quality programming, as the impact of summer learning programs on positive student outcomes was directly correlated with the level of quality instruction and execution of the program.

Especially as we think about ways to provide support to students experiencing the greatest impacts of the pandemic on their academic and social development, summers will be a valuable tool to increase academic gains and offer social and emotional supports to help students thrive. The research is clear that students must attend regularly to benefit and that a mix of academics and enrichment are necessary to keep young people engaged and attending so that they can make valuable learning gains. To learn more about the positive impact of investments in high-quality summer learning programs, read the full report.

Superintendents reflect on American Rescue Plan spending as funds expire

With the September 30 obligation deadline for American Rescue Plan (ARP) dollars having passed, policymakers are reflecting on the usage and efficacy of these critical pandemic relief funds. In a newly released report from AASA, The School Superintendents Association, more than 600 superintendents...

BY: Alana Edmond      11/04/24

The latest research on the impact of afterschool and summer programs

A 2023 U.S. Department of Education report on 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) programs nationally found that nearly half of participating students who were chronically absent the previous year improved their school-day attendance in the current school year, while a meta-analysis...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      09/30/24

Braiding pandemic relief funds to increase afterschool and summer opportunities

School districts continue to leverage American Rescue Plan (ARP) Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds to support students in afterschool and summer programs. Two new spotlights, Chickasaw City Schools and Tuscaloosa City Schools. take a closer look at how two school...

BY: Liana Shivers      06/21/24

How are high-poverty school districts’ spending their American Rescue Plan funds on afterschool and summer programs?

In New Jersey’s East Orange School District, students from families with low incomes benefitted from expanded enrichment and academic support, thanks to the district’s investment of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in afterschool and summer programs. For example, the district was able...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/23/24

Pandemic relief funds expanded support for underserved students in Minnesota

A recent report on pandemic relief funds showed the numerous ways that school districts are using federal funds to support students with afterschool and summer learning opportunities. A new spotlight dives deeper into one example in Minnesota and how St. Louis Park Public Schools used American...

BY: Liana Shivers      04/12/24

5 facts about rural school districts’ pandemic relief spending on afterschool and summer programs

In rural Washington State, one school district invested a quarter of a million dollars of its American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to create a brand-new afterschool program for the district’s elementary school students that provided extra homework help, STEM learning opportunities, and time for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/22/24

New fact sheet: Using American Rescue Plan Funds For Afterschool And Summer Programs

Following up on findings from the “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities” report, our new fact sheet describes the impact of American Rescue Plan (ARP) investments in...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/26/24

Cultivating the next workforce generation in afterschool programs

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) provide new career opportunities for students by giving them hands-on experience working in afterschool and summer enrichment programs. Many 21st CCLC sites offer opportunities where students can be assistant teachers, tutors, coaches, and...

BY: Sophie Kidd      02/02/24

Year in review: Pandemic relief funds support the nutrition of young people

In 2023, we released eight blogs and collected over 550 examples on our American Rescue Plan map, highlighting some of the amazing ways pandemic relief funds are being utilized for afterschool and summer. These funds have supported youth access to arts, physical activity, mental health services,...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      01/04/24

Tracking American Rescue Plan funds: Recommendations from the field

By Emily Murtaugh and Liana Shivers. In October, the Afterschool Alliance released a new report, “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities,” detailing how districts are...

BY: Guest Blogger      12/01/23

New survey finds that most U.S. public schools offer afterschool programs, but staffing and funding challenges limit access

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical branch within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences (IES), recently released findings from its School Pulse Panel (SPP). This nationally representative survey of public school principals was...

BY: Alana Edmond      12/17/24

New survey results show parents want more summer programming

This week, a new survey released by the National Summer Learning Association and the American Camp Association highlights what last summer was like for kids and families in the U.S. Conducted by Gallup, May 1-15, the survey of more than 6,800 parents finds that more than half parents (55%) report...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/26/24

Youth value voice, preparing for the future, and making a difference in afterschool

More than 9 in 10 youth report that they feel respected, are listened to, and trust the adults in their afterschool programs, according to research released by Every Hour Counts. Acting in leadership positions, working on social justice, and learning how to manage money were among the activities...

BY: Ursula Helminski      07/16/24

Survey results point to a summer of learning and engagement ahead for young people

As the temperature starts to rise, and in D.C., we start to feel the familiar humidity creep into the air, one’s thoughts can’t help but turn to summer—and for those of us at the Afterschool Alliance, that includes thinking about what the state of summer programming will look...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/17/24

New survey: Afterschool programs advance learning recovery efforts but face staffing and cost challenges

Based on a new national survey of 1,116 afterschool program providers, programs are supporting students’ academic development, strengthening peer-to-peer connections, and creating opportunities where they can practice life skills. At the same time, providers report grappling with issues such...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      04/25/24

Pandemic relief funds expanded support for underserved students in Minnesota

A recent report on pandemic relief funds showed the numerous ways that school districts are using federal funds to support students with afterschool and summer learning opportunities. A new spotlight dives deeper into one example in Minnesota and how St. Louis Park Public Schools used American...

BY: Liana Shivers      04/12/24

Year in review: Pandemic relief funds support the nutrition of young people

In 2023, we released eight blogs and collected over 550 examples on our American Rescue Plan map, highlighting some of the amazing ways pandemic relief funds are being utilized for afterschool and summer. These funds have supported youth access to arts, physical activity, mental health services,...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      01/04/24

Tracking American Rescue Plan funds: Recommendations from the field

By Emily Murtaugh and Liana Shivers. In October, the Afterschool Alliance released a new report, “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities,” detailing how districts are...

BY: Guest Blogger      12/01/23

American Rescue Plan funds support afterschool programs for Native American families

Native Americans represent more than 570 tribes, 3.7 million people, and 644,000 students across the country. The America After 3PM for Native American Families fact sheet highlights how afterschool programs play an important role in Native American communities by providing comprehensive support...

BY: Liana Shivers      11/28/23

Pandemic relief funds fuel partnerships

We’re highlighting ways that COVID relief funds are increasing partnerships to support out-of-school time learning, as a part of our series highlighting the wide variety of examples available in our map of City, State, and School District Investments in Afterschool and Summer Learning with...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/07/23

New NPSS brief: 320k+ adults join schools to provide essential student supports

The National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS), a collaboration between AmeriCorps, the U.S. Department of Education, and Johns Hopkins’ Everyone Graduates Center, has released findings from the second iteration of its nationally representative survey of school principals. This survey,...

BY: Alana Edmond      11/11/24

What does the state of educational opportunity look like in America?

This is the monumental question that 50CAN—the 50-State Campaign for Achievement Now, and Edge Research set out to answer by asking more than 20,000 parents questions about the quality of their child’s school, participation in out-of-school-time activities, knowledge about and...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      11/07/24

Putting Research Into Practice – for an academic afterschool program, post COVID

This guest blog is by Lynsey Wood Jeffries, CEO of Higher Achievement, an afterschool and summer program serving middle school scholars in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, MD, and Richmond, VA. Findings from the evaluation on Higher Achievement was recently included in an Afterschool Alliance brief,...

BY: Guest Blogger      10/21/24

New survey results show parents want more summer programming

This week, a new survey released by the National Summer Learning Association and the American Camp Association highlights what last summer was like for kids and families in the U.S. Conducted by Gallup, May 1-15, the survey of more than 6,800 parents finds that more than half parents (55%) report...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/26/24

5 facts about rural school districts’ pandemic relief spending on afterschool and summer programs

In rural Washington State, one school district invested a quarter of a million dollars of its American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to create a brand-new afterschool program for the district’s elementary school students that provided extra homework help, STEM learning opportunities, and time for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/22/24

Cultivating the next workforce generation in afterschool programs

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) provide new career opportunities for students by giving them hands-on experience working in afterschool and summer enrichment programs. Many 21st CCLC sites offer opportunities where students can be assistant teachers, tutors, coaches, and...

BY: Sophie Kidd      02/02/24

Year in review: Pandemic relief funds support the nutrition of young people

In 2023, we released eight blogs and collected over 550 examples on our American Rescue Plan map, highlighting some of the amazing ways pandemic relief funds are being utilized for afterschool and summer. These funds have supported youth access to arts, physical activity, mental health services,...

BY: Emily Murtaugh      01/04/24

COVID-relief funds deep dive (part 2)

By Liana Shivers and Emily Murtaugh. In March 2021, local education agencies (LEAs) received approximately $22 billion from the federal government through the American Rescue Plan (ARP) to support COVID-related learning recovery, including afterschool and summer learning. This is the second blog...

BY: Guest Blogger      09/22/23

New dashboard presents a retrospective of the Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 survey series

Over the course of the last three years, thanks to the afterschool field’s generous nature and taking the time during an incredibly tumultuous period to respond to our surveys, the Afterschool Alliance has been able to track the changing landscape of the afterschool field. A recently released...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/19/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

New survey finds that most U.S. public schools offer afterschool programs, but staffing and funding challenges limit access

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the statistical branch within the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Educational Sciences (IES), recently released findings from its School Pulse Panel (SPP). This nationally representative survey of public school principals was...

BY: Alana Edmond      12/17/24

5 facts about rural school districts’ pandemic relief spending on afterschool and summer programs

In rural Washington State, one school district invested a quarter of a million dollars of its American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to create a brand-new afterschool program for the district’s elementary school students that provided extra homework help, STEM learning opportunities, and time for...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/22/24

New fact sheet: Using American Rescue Plan Funds For Afterschool And Summer Programs

Following up on findings from the “Investments in Student Recovery: A Review of School Districts’ Use of American Rescue Plan Funding to Support Afterschool and Summer Opportunities” report, our new fact sheet describes the impact of American Rescue Plan (ARP) investments in...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      02/26/24

Pandemic relief funds fuel partnerships

We’re highlighting ways that COVID relief funds are increasing partnerships to support out-of-school time learning, as a part of our series highlighting the wide variety of examples available in our map of City, State, and School District Investments in Afterschool and Summer Learning with...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/07/23

New dashboard presents a retrospective of the Afterschool in the Time of COVID-19 survey series

Over the course of the last three years, thanks to the afterschool field’s generous nature and taking the time during an incredibly tumultuous period to respond to our surveys, the Afterschool Alliance has been able to track the changing landscape of the afterschool field. A recently released...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/19/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

Pandemic relief funds are supporting summer learning opportunities for youth

Photo courtesy of GENTS & GLAM As we look forward to National Summer Learning Week on July 10-14, we’re shining a light on the ways COVID-relief funds are supporting students while school is out for the summer. Thanks to these funds, kids have the opportunity to explore new activities,...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/28/23

Fall afterschool provider survey results: A child care provider perspective

The recent Afterschool Provider Survey, published February 2023, included a universe of over 1,000 programs across the country. Of the 1,016 programs surveyed, just under 10 percent (92) identified themselves as “afterschool programs run by child care centers.” The data allow for...

BY: Jillian Luchner      05/08/23

300 ways pandemic relief funds are supporting afterschool and summer

We’re thrilled to share a new and improved interactive map showing examples of afterschool and summer programming supported by pandemic relief funds. From experiential learning camps in Vermont where youth learned how to use a compass and identify wild edibles; to STEM offerings in...

BY: Ursula Helminski      04/17/23

COVID-relief funds deep dive (part 1)

By Emily Murtaugh and Liana Shivers. Two years have passed since states received their portion of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER III or ARP ESSER) funds as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Funds, allocated at the state education agency (SEA) and local...

BY: Guest Blogger      04/14/23

New brief highlights how policymakers and practitioners are expanding access to OST programming for low-income students

The National Academies’ Board on Children, Youth and Families developed a 16-member committee of field experts to conduct a consensus study on learning and development in K-12 out-of-school-time (OST) settings, including before-school, afterschool, and summer programs. The committee’s...

BY: Alana Edmond      10/14/24

How are high-poverty school districts’ spending their American Rescue Plan funds on afterschool and summer programs?

In New Jersey’s East Orange School District, students from families with low incomes benefitted from expanded enrichment and academic support, thanks to the district’s investment of American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds in afterschool and summer programs. For example, the district was able...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/23/24

New survey: Afterschool programs advance learning recovery efforts but face staffing and cost challenges

Based on a new national survey of 1,116 afterschool program providers, programs are supporting students’ academic development, strengthening peer-to-peer connections, and creating opportunities where they can practice life skills. At the same time, providers report grappling with issues such...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      04/25/24

Pandemic relief funds expanded support for underserved students in Minnesota

A recent report on pandemic relief funds showed the numerous ways that school districts are using federal funds to support students with afterschool and summer learning opportunities. A new spotlight dives deeper into one example in Minnesota and how St. Louis Park Public Schools used American...

BY: Liana Shivers      04/12/24

Afterschool a priority for Asian American and Pacific Islander voters

A brand new graphic draws attention to the high levels of support among Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters for afterschool and summer learning programs. Based on a November 2022 survey of registered voters, the graphic maps out what AAPI voters are saying about afterschool programs,...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/30/23

Women voters say that they want increased access to afterschool

A new graphic released this week illustrates the strong support for afterschool and summer programs among women voters. Based on results from an online survey of registered voters conducted by Lake Research Partners between November 9-14, 2022, women across political affiliations, community types,...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      03/31/23

Listening to Black voters: Afterschool is essential

Results are in! By overwhelming majorities, Black voters agree on the value of afterschool and summer learning programs. From inspiring children to learn to supporting young people’s well-being, polling affirms that Black voters are in favor of afterschool programs for our nation’s...

BY: Charlotte Steinecke      03/13/23

Oklahoma afterschool program supports Native American youth

Heather Taylor, an afterschool program director, and Native American Student Advocate for Tahlequah Public Schools spoke with Sophie Kidd from the Afterschool Alliance about the history of her program and how they support Native youth. How did your program start? Tahlequah Public Schools...

BY: Sophie Kidd      02/13/23

The importance of culturally driven Native American mental health interventions

By Sasha Neyra. Sasha, 16, is a Junior at Arcata High School and a Member of Big Lagoon Rancheria and wrote this piece as a part of her role as a Student Research Assistant at Two Feathers Native American Family Services. Two Feathers is excited to welcome our student research assistant. Part of...

BY: Guest Blogger      02/09/23

New survey results show parents want more summer programming

This week, a new survey released by the National Summer Learning Association and the American Camp Association highlights what last summer was like for kids and families in the U.S. Conducted by Gallup, May 1-15, the survey of more than 6,800 parents finds that more than half parents (55%) report...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/26/24

New report on summer 2023 programming

“Looking ahead to summer 2024, it seems like summer programming is poised to shrink rather than grow…Now that so many districts have ramped up their summer programming, the United States could choose a different path by building on the momentum already achieved—instead of scaling...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      06/14/24

Survey results point to a summer of learning and engagement ahead for young people

As the temperature starts to rise, and in D.C., we start to feel the familiar humidity creep into the air, one’s thoughts can’t help but turn to summer—and for those of us at the Afterschool Alliance, that includes thinking about what the state of summer programming will look...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      05/17/24

Phase II findings from the National Summer Learning and Enrichment Study explore how SEAs approached summer

Researchers at Westat released the second batch of findings from the National Summer Learning & Enrichment Study. The Wallace Foundation is supporting the study. This release is the second in a series of three reports taking a closer look at summer learning in 2021 from the perspective of state...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/16/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

Best practices from school districts for advancing equity in expanded learning

How can we promote equity in out-of-school time (OST) programs? A new research brief commissioned by The Wallace Foundation, Expanding Equity in Afterschool and Summer Learning: Lessons From School Districts, explores this question. The brief summarizes work done by researchers at the University of...

BY: Sophie Kidd      07/03/23

Pandemic relief funds are supporting summer learning opportunities for youth

Photo courtesy of GENTS & GLAM As we look forward to National Summer Learning Week on July 10-14, we’re shining a light on the ways COVID-relief funds are supporting students while school is out for the summer. Thanks to these funds, kids have the opportunity to explore new activities,...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/28/23

New study examines how districts approached summer learning in 2021

In December 2022, researchers at Westat released the first batch of findings from the National Summer Learning & Enrichment Study, an effort funded by the Wallace Foundation. The study will feature three reports that analyze summer learning in 2021 and 2022 across the country from the viewpoint...

BY: Sophie Kidd      03/14/23

Youth value voice, preparing for the future, and making a difference in afterschool

More than 9 in 10 youth report that they feel respected, are listened to, and trust the adults in their afterschool programs, according to research released by Every Hour Counts. Acting in leadership positions, working on social justice, and learning how to manage money were among the activities...

BY: Ursula Helminski      07/16/24

New report on summer 2023 programming

“Looking ahead to summer 2024, it seems like summer programming is poised to shrink rather than grow…Now that so many districts have ramped up their summer programming, the United States could choose a different path by building on the momentum already achieved—instead of scaling...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      06/14/24

Phase II findings from the National Summer Learning and Enrichment Study explore how SEAs approached summer

Researchers at Westat released the second batch of findings from the National Summer Learning & Enrichment Study. The Wallace Foundation is supporting the study. This release is the second in a series of three reports taking a closer look at summer learning in 2021 from the perspective of state...

BY: Sophie Kidd      11/16/23

Survey finds that programs open this summer will reach the highest levels in three years

Thanks to the more than 1,100 program providers who responded to Afterschool Alliance’s spring survey to better understand the current state of the field, we are able to share some insights into what providers anticipate for this summer. This summer, program providers are much more certain...

BY: Nikki Yamashiro      07/14/23

Pandemic relief funds are supporting summer learning opportunities for youth

Photo courtesy of GENTS & GLAM As we look forward to National Summer Learning Week on July 10-14, we’re shining a light on the ways COVID-relief funds are supporting students while school is out for the summer. Thanks to these funds, kids have the opportunity to explore new activities,...

BY: Sophie Kidd      06/28/23