New report on summer 2023 programming

“Looking ahead to summer 2024, it seems like summer programming is poised to shrink rather than grow…Now that so many districts have ramped up their summer programming, the United States could choose a different path by building on the momentum already achieved—instead of scaling back—by improving the offerings and the enrollment rate among those students who need these programs the most.”

This vision for the future of summer programming and call to action is based on findings from a RAND report, made possible with the support of The Wallace Foundation, analyzing a fall 2023 American School District Panel survey. Although the report’s title, “School Was in Session This Summer, but Less Than Half of Eligible Students Enrolled,” may not read as the rosiest picture of summer 2023, the report itself includes a number of promising findings about the supports students were able to access last summer:

1. During the 2023 summer, most districts (81%) offered summer programs, with programming most commonly offered in urban districts (100%), districts serving a majority of students of color (100%), and large districts (98%).
    
2. Many districts often offered more than one program during summer 2023 (63% of districts offered at least two summer programs). While the survey did not ask why districts offered more than one program, researchers inferred from previous studies that districts often offer multiple programs to meet the diverse needs of students, such as mandatory programs for students at risk of being held back a grade or to pass courses, or voluntary programs for the general student population.
    
3. More than 9 in 10 districts (94%) offered their largest summer programs at no cost to families, and approximately 6 in 10 districts also offered services like transportation to and from the summer program and breakfast and/or lunch for free as a part of programming. These additional services were much more likely to be offered by urban districts, high-poverty districts, and districts serving a majority students of color. For example, among districts offering elementary summer programming, 93% of urban districts provided free transportation to and from programming, compared to 66% of suburban and 66% of rural districts. And, more than 9 in 10 high-poverty districts provided free breakfast and/or lunch, compared to 46% of low-poverty districts providing elementary programming and 35% providing secondary programming.
    
4. Although districts that partnered with community-based organizations (CBOs) to provide summer programming were in the minority, still 44% of districts reported that they partnered with a CBO. It’s worth noting that districts that were large (81%), urban (79%), and high-poverty (68%) were much more likely to say that they worked with a CBO to operate some or all of their summer programs.
    
5. Asking only about districts’ largest summer programs, almost all included daily academic instruction, with 61% of districts saying that their elementary-grade largest summer programs included academic and non-academic programming. Districts’ largest secondary summer program offered academic instruction for an average of 4.1 hours per day compared to 3.9 hours per day at elementary summer programs.
    
6. A majority of districts (53%) anticipate that funding levels for summer 2024 will be about the same as they were during the previous summer, however only 4% anticipate an increase while 39% of districts anticipate a decrease in funding levels.

Researchers pointed out areas of improvement, including enrollment levels and the duration of academic instruction, making recommendations such as developing personalized recruitment materials, using trusted messengers to encourage summer program enrollment, providing incentives to participate, offer five to six-weeks of summer programming that provide at least three hours of academics, and starting to plan for summer programs earlier in the year. However, as 39% of districts anticipate decreased funding levels during the 2024 summer compared to the previous year, with urban and high poverty districts (49%, all) more likely to expect lower funding levels, the report authors expressed concern over districts’ ability in the future to provide free summer programming to all students in need of additional supports and what cuts may need to be made regarding the length of programming or activities and supports offered.