New Department of Education School Improvement Guidance includes afterschool and summer as important strategies

In early September, the White House released two documents that speak to the role that quality afterschool and summer learning programs can and do play in supporting student success. The White House Fact Sheet on Academic Success and the new School Improvement Guidance are complementary and outline the existing efforts of the Biden Administration, as well as proposed changes intended to further improve student success.

The White House Fact Sheet, Biden-?Harris Administration Announces Additional Actions to Drive Academic Success for all Students, outlines steps the administration has already taken to support students, families, and schools, and references the new School Improvement Guidance to signal support as the school year starts. The fact sheet was released in conjunction with Secretary of Education Cardona’s Back to School bus tour through the Midwest, which highlighted a range of education issues across the PK-16+ spectrum.

The fact sheet alludes to the American Rescue Plan’s support for afterschool and summer and points to the need for continued efforts to improve education for all children, stating in part:

Working together, at the federal, state, and local level, we must all double-down on strengthening reading and math skills; increasing student attendance and engagement; providing afterschool and expanded learning programs; and increasing access to intensive tutoring.

The proposed New School Improvement Guidance issued by the Department of Education  is subject to stakeholder comment. The guidance provides technical assistance on the school support and improvement requirements under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to promote academic excellence for every learner. The guidance emphasizes that Title I funds, including ESEA section 1003 school improvement funds, can support implementation of the three strategies to accelerate academic performance for every child — one of which is “increasing summer learning and extended or afterschool learning time” – that were included in the Biden-Harris Administration’s Improving Student Achievement Agenda of 2024. 

The guidance seeks to help schools that are struggling to support students academically and outlines a number of strategies for student success, such as “student access to afterschool, expanded, and summer learning and enrichment Programs” as one of the components of a needs assessment for schools identified for Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI).

The guidance also includes a section on out of school time that outlines the importance of quality afterschool and summer learning programs, stating:

…high-quality before-school, afterschool, expanded, and summer learning time and enrichment opportunities can increase student achievement while also providing access to a well-rounded education that improves [student] overall well-being. To best accelerate learning, these programs should include evidence-based approaches that target students needing additional support (including using information provided by diagnostic assessments); have certified teachers deliver the academic instruction; and engage the students in using experiential instruction that incorporates hands-on activities, project-based learning, enrichment, and field trips

The department is providing a 30-day opportunity for the public to comment on the draft guidance with the ability to email any comments to OESE.Feedback@ed.gov by October 4, 2024.