Summer Learning

Children from low-income families often do not have the same opportunities to learn and experience enriching activities during the summer as children from higher-income families. Consequently, they can lose ground academically, contributing to the persistent achievement gap between them and their more affluent peers. High-quality summer learning programs offering a combination of academics and enrichment could help.

Browse the reports and other resources on these pages for insights into summer learning.

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A Hot Time for Summer Learning	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/wallace-summer-learning-podcast-series.aspx	A Hot Time for Summer Learning	In this podcast series, field experts, researchers and practitioners explore why summer matters and how to design, implement and fund high-quality programs that blend academics and enrichment<br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Podcast	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/summer-learning-sel-podcast-series-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/News-and-Media/Blog/PublishingImages/WAL_PODCAST_LOGO-2021-a.png" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	8/3/2022 4:00:00 AM
A Hot Time for Summer Learning	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/summer-learning-podcast-series-episode-1.aspx	A Hot Time for Summer Learning	Episode 1: What We’ve Learned about Summer Learning<br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Podcast	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/summer-learning-sel-podcast-series-episode1-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/News-and-Media/Blog/PublishingImages/WAL_PODCAST_LOGO-2021-a.png" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	8/3/2022 4:00:00 AM
Building, Sustaining and Improving: Using Federal Funds for Summer Learning and Afterschool	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/federal-funding-guide-for-summer-and-afterschool.aspx	Building, Sustaining and Improving: Using Federal Funds for Summer Learning and Afterschool	<p>This guide can help district leaders, out-of-school time providers and intermediaries identify federal funding streams to support summer and afterschool learning.<br></p>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/News-and-Media/Blog/PublishingImages/federal-funding-summer-afterschool.png" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	7/20/2022 4:00:00 AM
Supporting Quality in Summer Learning: How Districts Plan, Develop, and Implement Programs	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/supporting-quality-in-summer-learning-how-districts-plan-develop-and-implement-programs.aspx	Supporting Quality in Summer Learning: How Districts Plan, Develop, and Implement Programs	Mutually beneficial partnerships with community organizations can support successful school-district-led summer programs, this study finds. <br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/supporting-quality-in-summer-learning-full-report-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/supporting-quality-in-summer-learning-full-report-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	6/14/2022 4:00:00 AM
From Access to Equity: Making Out-of-School-Time Spaces Meaningful for Teens From Marginalized Communities	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/from-access-to-equity-making-out-of-school-time-spaces-meaningful-for-teens-from-marginalized-communities.aspx	From Access to Equity: Making Out-of-School-Time Spaces Meaningful for Teens From Marginalized Communities	To develop meaningful out-of-school-time programming for young people from marginalized communities, experts suggest that programs introduce practices that foster “a genuine sense of dignity and belonging for youth” and improve working conditions for program staffers. <br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/from-access-to-equity-making-out-of-school-time-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/from-access-to-equity-making-out-of-school-time-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	4/19/2022 4:00:00 AM
Youth Perspectives on Designing Equitable Out-of-School-Time Programs	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/youth-perspectives-on-designing-equitable-out-of-school-time-programs.aspx	Youth Perspectives on Designing Equitable Out-of-School-Time Programs	A youth-led research project provides an indication of how young people from marginalized communities may experience out-of-school-time programming, including that they are sometimes treated differently because of race, gender identity or other factors. <br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/youth-perspectives-on-designing-equitable-out-of-school-time-programs-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/youth-perspectives-on-designing-equitable-out-of-school-time-programs-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	4/19/2022 4:00:00 AM
Summer for All: Building Coordinated Networks to Promote Access to Quality Summer Learning and Enrichment Opportunities Across a Community	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/summer-for-all-building-coordinated-networks-promote-access-to-quality-summer-learning-enrichment.aspx	Summer for All: Building Coordinated Networks to Promote Access to Quality Summer Learning and Enrichment Opportunities Across a Community	<p>A look at how organizations in four cities successfully coordinated efforts to increase access to, and improve the quality of, summer learning opportunities.<br></p>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/summer-for-all-building-coordinated-networks-promote-summer-learning-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/summer-for-all-building-coordinated-networks-promote-summer-learning-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	11/10/2021 5:00:00 AM
Out-of-School Time Programs: Paving the Way for Children to Find Passion, Purpose & Voice—national surveys of K-8 parents, teachers, and program providers	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/Out-of-School-Time-Programs-This-Summer.aspx	Out-of-School Time Programs: Paving the Way for Children to Find Passion, Purpose & Voice—national surveys of K-8 parents, teachers, and program providers	New research and accompanying online playbook sheds light on how parents, teachers and OST providers perceive the value of out-of-school time (OST) in children’s social, emotional and academic development.<br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Slide Presentation	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Finding-Passion-Purpose-Voice_research-deck_final_b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Finding-Passion-Purpose-Voice_research-deck_final_a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	9/24/2021 4:00:00 AM
Comments from The Wallace Foundation to the Department of Education on Summer Learning and SEL in Proposed Priorities and Definitions	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/comment-letter-on-summer-learning-and-sel-by-the-wallace-foundation-7-29-21.aspx	Comments from The Wallace Foundation to the Department of Education on Summer Learning and SEL in Proposed Priorities and Definitions	<p>Wallace recommends that the Department define what it means by “out-of-school time settings” to clarify it means all kinds of programs that occur in the summer, before and after school, in the evenings and weekends<br></p>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/comment-letter-on-summer-learning-and-sel-by-the-wallace-foundation-7-29-21-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/comment-letter-on-summer-learning-and-sel-by-the-wallace-foundation-7-29-21-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	8/5/2021 4:00:00 AM
Navigating Social and Emotional Learning from the Inside Out	https://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/Pages/navigating-social-and-emotional-learning-from-the-inside-out.aspx	Navigating Social and Emotional Learning from the Inside Out	Looking Inside and Across 33 leading SEL Programs: A Practical Resource for Schools and OST Providers; Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition (Preschool and Elementary Focus)<br>	54092405-3ed7-43af-891b-ab77fa4f2517	Report	<img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Navigating-Social-and-Emotional-Learning-from-the-Inside-Out-Revised-Expanded-b.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" /> <img alt="" src="/knowledge-center/PublishingImages/Navigating-Social-and-Emotional-Learning-from-the-Inside-Out-Revised-Expanded-a.jpg" style="BORDER:0px solid;" />	7/27/2021 4:00:00 AM

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