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When Should Planning for a Summer Learning Program Begin and What Should It Cover?

• Start early (by January) and include district and summer site-level staff in the process.
• Meet regularly and be comprehensive in scope of planning.
• Clearly delineate roles among program leaders, external partners, and summer site leaders.
• Establish firm enrollment deadlines and work with electronic student records.

How Should Districts Choose a Curriculum and Provide Instruction?

• Anchor the program in a commercially available and tested curriculum.
• Choose curricula with features associated with improved learning.
• Standardize the curriculum across district sites.
• Include strategies for differentiation in curriculum materials to accommodate at least two ability levels.
• Structure the program to ensure sufficient time for academic work.
• Instruct students in small classes or groups.
• Provide support to students with special needs.

How Should Districts Hire and Train Teachers?

• Recruit motivated teachers, taking school performance and grade-level experience into consideration.
• Give teachers sufficient training and ongoing support.

What is the Optimal Duration of a Summer Learning Program and How Much Time Should Be Spent on Academics?

• Operate the program for five to six weeks.
• Schedule three to four hours a day for academics and focus on academic content during academic class periods.

What Is the Best Way to Select Enrichment Providers and Structure Activities?

• Select providers with well-qualified instructors with experience in behavior management.
• Conduct careful planning if enrichment is supposed to be integrated with academics.
• Keep class sizes small.

What Are the Best Techniques for Boosting Attendance?

• Establish a clear attendance policy.
• Provide field trips and other incentives for students who attend.
• Keep in mind that it is not necessary to disguise academics to boost attendance.

How Can Districts and Funders Maximize the Value of Their Programs?

• Design the summer program with costs in mind: avoid assigning small numbers of students to many sites, for example, and hire staff based on projected attendance not number of enrollees.
• Put resources into tracking and boosting attendance.