Over at Beyond School, my colleague Mary-Ellen Phelps Deily blogged yesterday about a briefing on Capitol Hill to promote summer learning.
“Officials of the National Summer Learning Association and others ... highlighted the importance of sustaining—and expanding—high-quality programs, even in tough budget times,” Mary-Ellen notes.
In fact, Ron Fairchild and Jeff Smink from that organization penned a Commentary for EdWeek in May. In it, they lament that summer school is typically seen as “punishment for poor performance” and call for “re-envisioning this maligned institution ... to extend learning, provide effective intervention, and offer enrichment opportunities, particularly for those students who have few other good options during those months out of school.”
While I’m on the subject, next Monday has been dubbed Summer Learning Day, with events planned around the country.