Research shows that in the summertime, students from low-income families often lose ground compared with their peers. An effective summer learning program can help reverse this.

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Online Summer Learning Toolkit was designed to help districts and others create or enhance their summer learning programs. Practitioners can browse and download more than 50 practical, adaptable tools and sample planning resources from the five urban districts who formed the  National Summer Learning Project, as well as new resources created by field experts. The toolkit is aligned with recommendations from the RAND Corporation, the NSLP’s research partner, in Getting to Work on Summer Learning and previous reports.

Organized into five planning areas, the Toolkit includes both comprehensive planning and management tools, including the robust Summer Planning Calendar and Budget Tool, and more specialized resources, such as tip sheets on promoting participation and planning professional development.

You can start at the homepage or dive into the section you need first:

Planning & Management
Academics & Enrichment
Staffing & Professional Development
Site Climate
Student Recruitment & Attendance

Within each section, you’ll find four types of items available to browse and download:

  • Tool: Adaptable, downloadable resources that help to drive a specific process, such as program observations or end of program reflections for continuous improvement
  • Sample: Documents used by NSLP districts and their partners that can be used to inform planning and management, including staff handbooks, position descriptions and enrollment forms
  • Tip Sheet: A brief synthesis written by field experts on how to use materials on each topic, including research-based findings and recommendations
  • Guidance: Each tool, sample, and tip sheet is accompanied by guidance that explains what it is, why it’s important (with connections to research), who can benefit from it and tips for effective use. Two tools include more comprehensive guidance in the form of Companion and Facilitation Guides with tips to navigate and customize your program and sustainability planning processes

To learn more about the toolkit and its creation, start with the About page.

 Points of Interest
  • Research shows that in the summertime, students from low-income families often lose ground compared with their peers. An effective summer learning program can help reverse this trend, and practitioners can use the Online Summer Learning Toolkit to create or enhance their summer learning program.
    In the summer, students from low-income families often lose ground compared with their peers. The Online Summer Learning Toolkits helps districts and others create effective programs to reverse this trend.
  • The Online Summer Learning Toolkit contains more than 50 practical, adaptable tools and sample planning resources from the five urban districts who formed the National Summer Learning Project, as well as new resources created by field experts. The toolkit is aligned with recommendations from the RAND Corporation, the NSLP’s research partner.
    The Online Summer Learning Toolkit contains more than 50 practical, adaptable tools and sample planning resources from the districts who formed the National Summer Learning Project, and new resources created by field experts.
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