Creativity Drives Programs to Prevent 'Summer Slide'

Tony Brown, 8, plays in New Orleans after taking part in a football camp sponsored by the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission. Some cities and districts have found creative ways to provide summer programs in tough fiscal times.

—Matthew Hinton for Education Week

Some communities move forward despite economic climate

By Nora Fleming

The lazy days of summer may be an all-too-accurate description for some children this year. But while fiscally challenging times have spelled hardship for summer school, enrichment, and youth-jobs programs in many places, in others the situation is different.

Some cities and school districts have made summer learning a priority, influenced by studies that have found the summer months can be academically caustic for underprivileged students who lack opportunities for enriching and educational experiences. And research released last month by the RAND Corp. suggests that well-designed programs can help combat that “summer slide.”

Through the blending of funding sources and the building of community partnerships, a number of places have managed not only to expand their summer programs, but also have looked past traditional models to develop ones...