Building Effective Programs for Summer Learning

Johnson, Peter. Building Effective Programs for Summer Learning. U.S. Department of Education. 2000.

Johnson's report focuses on who needs summer programs and effective ways to reach them.  Drawing on research from the Baltimore "Beginning School Study" (Karl Alexander and Doris Entwisle, 1996), he found that:

•  "the academic gap between rich and poor children, as measured by test scores, increases throughout the elementary school years." 
• Summer losses in achievement add up year by year and "seem to be the major reason why the academic gap between low- and high-income children grows throughout the elementary school years."
  
• Since the losses are largest in the summers of the first three to four years of school, "preventing these losses, particularly over the first few summers, could make the gap much smaller." [Note: This age group, it should be noted, is the primary target audience of public library summer reading programs, having the most attendance and appeal. In New York State's statewide summer reading program, all age groups, from preschool to teenagers are included, but elementary aged children make up the most enthusiastic and easy-to-reach population.]

Suggestions for effective ways to reach the neediest youth include:

• Form partnerships with the schools
• Form partnerships with community groups and services that reach the disadvantaged
• Make programs accessible and convenient for parents
• Involve the parents
• Involve volunteers
• Make learning fun for everyone.