Summer programs are new and improved. They are no longer the dreaded days of a hot classroom while friends are outside. Today, schools offer a type of summer school as an academic camp. Schools offer fun classes with many STEM classes. They also offer enrichment classes. Thus, students engage with activities inside as well as outside. Additionally, they can be in the brick-and-mortar school or virtually from home.
Many parents want to prevent a summer learning gap. Therefore, they enroll children into classes that enrich and or support learning deficits. Some students lack the instruction in-class offers because of the pandemic. Thus, the Covid-19 gap is here. So, to prevent the summer learning gap in addition to the covid gap, students need some sort of academic learning along with fun during the summer months.
A study shows the upcoming school year has students at about 70 percent learning gains. This is lower than the gain with in-class learning and normal conditions. Summer school is no longer an afterthought. Summer programs boost skills in reading and math.
According to USA Today, “As part of the federal relief package signed into law in March, more than $1.2 billion of the $129 billion for public schools is flagged for summer and extended-learning programs.”
Programs Must Have Value
Good programs in the summer make a difference in the progress of students. These programs should last about five weeks and include math and reading instruction. Also, there are many virtual summer programs that students can attend. As covid lingers, summer school is a way to recover what’s lost due to poor virtual attendance.
Students deserve to have a chance to make up the learning Covid took away. They must have the ability to remediate the skills they need for the future. Additionally, students need to be together for social and emotional skills and learn with their peers.
