Summer Learning: A National Perspective

1. Summer Learning:A National Perspective Bob Seidel Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives and Policy National Summer Learning Association bseidel@summerlearning.org Impact After School Conference Johnston, Iowa April 24, 2014

2. National Summer Learning AssociationOur vision is to ensure that every child is safe, healthy and engaged in learning during the summer months.

3. NSLA seeks to: • Improve the quality of summer learning opportunities • Expand access to summer learning • Increase demand for summer learning

4. WhatWeDo • Raise public and policymaker awareness • Support program quality through assessment, training, & technical assistance • Assist community-wide initiatives • Develop and advocate for public policy

5. NSLA’s Three Strategic Goals • Ensure that: • School districts and their communities include high-quality afterschool and summer learning in a 12-month student achievement plan for all students in Title I schools;

6. NSLA’s Three Strategic Goals (cont.) • Providers align school-year and summer programs through shared indicators of quality and effectiveness in coordinated systems; and • Local communities and states use afterschool and summer learning to accelerate education priorities, such as 3rd grade reading, middle school transitions, high school graduation, and post-secondary readiness.

7. Why Summer Learning?The Challenge • There is no other time of year when inequalities are greater in the United States than during the summer months. • Guarantees evaporate during the summer • Breakfast and lunch • Academic classes • Teachers and other caring adults • Physical education • After-school programs & extra-curricular activities

8. Why Summer Learning?The Opportunity • Compelling research base on advancing learning • Laboratory for innovation in teaching & learning • Spans transition periods • Support for working families • Health & safety benefits • Significant opportunity for community connections • Growing importance in the education reform/time and learning debate

9. Research Overview Over 40 studies confirm summer learning loss • Most students tend to lose 2 months of math skills • Low-income students tend to lose 2-3 months of reading skills • High-quality summer programs can result in 2 or more months GAINS in reading and math • Significant implications for the achievement gap, graduation rates, and career success

10. Successful Programs: How Do They Do It? Findings from RAND and Child Trends (Wallace) • Research indicates certain program characteristics are linked to student achievement gains • Providing individualized instruction • Smaller class sizes (1:5- 1:8) • Involving parents • ~150 hours per summer, at least two consecutive summers

11. How Do They Do It? • Expert opinion points to best program practices • Aligning the school year and summer curricula • Including content beyond remediation • Involving and educating families early • Enticing students—they must attend to benefit—creating a “summer culture” • Engaging high-quality instructors

12. The 2011 RAND Report Summer learning programs can prevent summer learning loss if they: • Plan year-round; • Start early to hire quality staff & recruit students; • Incorporate best practices from successful programs; • Establish partnerships; • Stabilize funding; and • Expand their outcomes research base.

13. The 2013 RAND Report • Engage district, site, and partner staff in planning. • Clearly delineate roles. • Establish firm enrollment deadlines & keep electronic students records. • Use evidence-based curriculum standardized across sites.

14. 2013 RAND (#2) • Use strategies to differentiate curriculum materials to accommodate at least two ability levels. • Support students with special needs. • Give teachers [and staff] sufficient training and ongoing support. • Engage providers with well-qualified staff with behavior management experience.

15. 2013 RAND (#3) • Plan for enrichment integrated with academics. • Establish a clear attendance policy. • Focus on academics 3-4 hours per day. • Design the program with costs in mind. • Put resources into tracking & boosting attendance. • Use effective cost-accounting principles.

16. Significant increases in Grade-level Vocabulary The impact of summer learning

17. Summer Learning around the U.S. 2010 report from the Afterschool Alliance found: • 25 percent of school-age children (an estimated 14.3 million children) participated in summer learning programs. • Based on parent interest in enrolling their child in a summer learning program, 56 percent of all non-participating children (an estimated 24 million children) would likely enroll in summer learning programs.

18. And yet… Federal Gridlock

19. The Current Federal Policy Context • Focus on big fiscal issues, which affect everything, including education • Money is going to be very, very tight for the foreseeable future.

20. What Does This Mean forSummer Learning? • No new federal programs, except early childhood • Additional funding will be difficult • Summer not yet part of the core policy But… • Policymakers want to see results & “bang for the buck”—outcomes data • More time for learning is relatively “hot”

21. State Initiatives • New Mexico—Kindergarten Plus; 2014 OST funds • Wyoming—Bridges Program—enrichment • California—Summer Matters campaign & 21st CCLC legislation • Kentucky—Encourages summer learning camps using Title I; requires 80 hours of summer for migrant education • Rhode Island—Legislative task forcefunding in state education budget two years in a row

22. Latest State Initiatives—2013/2014 • Massachusetts—Sustained $3M investment in Afterschool/Summer Enrichment & Acceleration Academies for English Language Learners; increase the After School and Out of School Time Quality Grant program by 15% • Texas, Washington-- Expanded Learning Opportunities Council passed by legislature

23. States, 21st CCLC, & Summer • California—sets aside 15% of new funding • Iowa—if doing summer, must be at least 30 days • Michigan—requires 3 hours/day, 4 days/week, 6 weeks • Minnesota—requires 4 weeks, at least 3 days/week • New Hampshire—requires 4 weeks of “full day” • New Jersey—requires 4 hours/day, 5 days/week, 4 weeks • Texas—requires 4 hours/day, 4 days/week, 4 weeks

24. The Funding Challenge • The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program is the only federal resource explicitly focused on summer (along with after-school). • Funded at less than half amount authorized • State and local funds under pressure from competing priorities, tight budgets

25. So, What to Do? Some opportunities: • 21st CCLC—fund at authorized level (Congress) • Title I—understand allowability • Grade-level reading • Year-round school debate

26. Celebrate Summer Learning Dayon Friday, June 20! • Summer Learning Day is a national advocacyday recognized to spread awareness aboutthe importance of summer learning. • Visit summerlearning.org/sld to find Summer Learning Day resources and ways to celebrate. • Visit summerlearningdaymap.org to find an event, or add your own event, on the official Summer Learning Day map.

28. Thank you for your work supporting the young people, families, and communities of Iowa and Minnesota!Bob Seidelbseidel@summerlearning.org