Best Practices for Summer Learning

Communicator
May 2018, Volume 41, Issue 9

“The research shows that kids who are living in poverty, over the course of their elementary school career, they can fall two and a half to three years behind their more affluent peers,” says Stacie Evans, Executive Director of Young Audiences of Maryland. “We reduced summer learning loss in literacy by up to two thirds, and we completely eliminated summer learning loss in math. And for our regular attenders, we sent them back to school ahead.”

These kinds of victories are not unique to Gardenville Elementary School, where students are taught literacy and math through the arts in an engaging way. Schools across the country are running exciting afterschool and summer learning programs. That has a huge effect on students’ academic, social, and emotional success during the school year and beyond.

Through its work with the Mott Foundation, NAESP launched a web portal dedicated to afterschool and summer learning. Amongst the research and resources hosted on the portal, visitors can find best practice videos from schools with unique programs. You can watch the video on Gardenville Elementary below, or visit the portal to check out the rest.

Principals have everything to gain from starting or supporting afterschool and summer learning programs at their schools. For resources and information on how to advocate for programs in your community, visit afterschool.naesp.org.

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