Design summer programs with purposeful curriculum, stable staff, and cultural relevance, sustained over multiple summers¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

The report recommends that states and districts provide expanded learning time through summer programs beginning in summer 2021, when learning loss typically occurs. It specifies that 'well-designed summer programs have a purposeful curriculum, have stable staff, and are culturally relevant and engaging enough to stimulate consistent attendance; these programs are most effective when students experience them for multiple summers.' Federal funding streams under ESSA and CARES Act funds are identified as supports.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Purposeful curriculum, stable staff, and cultural relevance sufficient to stimulate consistent attendance

Constraints¶

• Programs are described as most effective when experienced for multiple summers, implying single-summer offerings are less effective

Target Learners¶

• k-12 students, with attention to students with special education needs and English learners

Target Learning Goals¶

• Counteracting summer learning loss and accelerating learning

Related Strategies¶

• High-quality math instruction: conceptual emphasis, productive struggle, collaboration, multiple solution paths, culturally relevant tasks, and timely intervention
• Policy considerations for states supporting summer learning
• Multi-pronged policy strategy for COVID-19 learning recovery for BIPOC students
• Provide English learner-specific summer learning and staff accelerated learning programs with EL specialists

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Darling-Hammond, L., Schachner, A., & Edgerton, A. K. (with Badrinarayan, A., Cardichon, J., Cookson, P. W., Jr., Griffith, M., Klevan, S., Maier, A., Martinez, M., Melnick, H., Truong, N., Wojcikiewicz, S.). (2020). Restarting and reinventing school: Learning in the time of COVID and beyond. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. http://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/restarting-reinventing-school-covid