Summer and OST: Smart Investments Outside of School to Accelerate Learning

Since the school closures precipitated by the pandemic and the major disruptions to classroom learning, summer and out-of-school time (OST) learning have become priorities as strategies for equitable learning loss recovery. So much so that the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) included a $22 billion set-aside in support of comprehensive after-school and summer enrichment. Summer and OST provide space for students to both learn academics and engage in enrichment activities that advance their social and emotional development. In early 2023, we also now know that summer and OST are top priorities for both states and districts in their ESSER investments. Beyond the ESSER investments, the U.S. Department of Education recently launched a broad-based initiative called “Engage Every Student” to support national and local partnerships that expand summer and OST learning opportunities, further emphasizing the importance of investing in learning outside of school to get students back on track. This attention is to be applauded. At the same time, however, it is essential that we examine how districts and communities will be able to sustain the programming after the ESSER funding deadline and if the current focus fades. Please join as we engage in discussion with CGLR Executive Fellow and moderator John Gomperts about how OST and summer learning can accelerate equitable learning loss recovery. This session will: . Take a deep dive into the research demonstrating the impact; the trends in state and district investments; and what constitutes high-quality programming that ensures students are engaged in learning and having fun. . Engage state and local OST leaders in conversation about their partnerships with school districts, what these investments look like on the ground, and how they plan to sustain programming for the long game of equitable learning loss recovery. . Continue CGLR’s series exploring “smart ESSER investments,” following a session in December that tracked state and district spending from the $190 billion ESSER fund.