Some 30 million youth—55% of K-12 youth in schools—are engaged in summer opportunities, according to a nationally representative poll by Gallup, published in partnership with National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) and the American Camp Association. Together, NSLA and ACA have called for a national effort to maintain and increase this baseline.
The Summer for All Act, introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), would help provide high-quality summer enrichment opportunities to kids and families who otherwise would not have access to these programs.
According to the Gallup poll, about half of K-12 parents, 48%, wished their children could have participated in summer programs but were unable to. Only 11 million out of 25 million low-income students accessed summer programs, compared with 50% of middle-income and 67% of upper-income children.
“We face an equity barrier in summer. Summer programs are a critical part of helping to create opportunity, build community, and promote mental and emotional well-being for kids while also combating hunger and learning loss,” said Aaron Dworkin, CEO of the NSLA. “When kids get the support they need throughout the summer, they are healthier, safer and better prepared for the school year ahead. We need to ensure all young people can access summer learning.”
To eliminate these barriers, the Summer for All Act would help provide high-quality summer enrichment opportunities to kids and families who otherwise would not have access to these programs. The legislation establishes a total of $4 billion in grant programs through the Departments of Health and Human Services and Education to help community-based organizations and states expand access to summer learning programming.
“The summer months give kids a chance to reset and prepare for back-to-school, and a big part of that comes from camps and other summer programs where kids can spend time with their friends, have fun and continue to learn. Unfortunately, a lot of kids don’t get those experiences because there aren’t enough slots or their family can’t afford it,” said Sen. Murphy. “That’s why I’m introducing this legislation to make summer funding a federal priority and ensure every kid has a fun summer—not just the kids whose families can afford it.”
The Act establishes two new grant programs to expand access to affordable summer programming. The $2 billion grant program managed by the Department of Health and Human Services will help community-based organizations create new or expand the programs they offer in the summer. In addition, a $2 billion grant program managed by the Department of Education will support states in planning and implementing expanded and sustainable summer enrichment programming for kids and their families.
“We’ve known for more than a hundred years that summer learning at camp is a transformative experience that fosters character and social-emotional skills development, resulting in a stronger sense of self,” said Tom Rosenberg, president/CEO of the American Camp Association (ACA). “Summer learning is crucial for setting our kids up to thrive in the classroom and beyond. Today, we must work together to ensure all children have access to summer learning experiences. The Summer for All Act will greatly expand our ability to provide more kids with summer learning, laying the foundation for capable and confident future generations."
The NSLA and ACA are committed to eliminating barriers to summer learning. Both organizations currently offer support to programs for low-income families to participate in summer programs, including DiscoverSummer.org and the joint Camp-School Partnership Program, a collaborative initiative aimed at serving low-income, high-need students. To learn more about the importance of summer learning and how to support the Summer for All Act, visit summerlearning.org/summerforall.