Prefer subsidizing targeted summer programs or low-income families' program tuition over modified year-round school calendars¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 causal), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

In its policy discussion, the article recommends that "it may be preferable to address inequities in parental involvement either by subsidizing targeted (or voluntary) summer programs or simply subsidizing the summer-program tuitions and fees of children in low-income households, schools, or neighborhoods". This is preferred to year-round calendars, which may harm high-achieving students' social and emotional development. Access alone is insufficient: parents must encourage and prioritize attendance.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Parents must encourage and prioritize children's attendance, as access alone will not work

Constraints¶

• Modified year-round calendars might negatively impact the social and emotional development of high-achieving students

Target Learners¶

• Low-income, low-SES school-aged children

Target Learning Goals¶

• Reducing summer learning loss and closing SES achievement gaps

Claims¶

• Low-income children's test scores drop relative to higher-income peers during the summer months [+W]

Related Strategies¶

• Summer reading programs should provide books matched to students' reading levels, encourage oral reading practice, and include scaffolding

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Gershenson, S. (2013). Do summer time-use gaps vary by socioeconomic status? American University. http://www.bls.gov/tus/