New Legislation, Summer for All Act, Aims to Bridge the Summer Learning Equity Gap

Washington, DC, July 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A nationally representative poll by Gallup published today, in partnership with the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) and the American Camp Association (ACA), found that 30 million youth are engaged in summer opportunities. This represents 55% of K-12 youth in schools. 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 today by Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT), 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 percent, 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 percent of middle-income and 67 percent 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 National Summer Learning Association. “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. This act 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 Senator 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.
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About National Summer Learning Association (NSLA)

Celebrating 30 years of impact, NSLA has worked to combat summer learning loss and close the opportunity gap which research shows grows most dramatically between lower and higher income students over the summer months. NSLA works to ensure all of America’s students, regardless of background, income, or zip code, can access and benefit from a high-quality summer learning experience every year. NSLA supports and collaborates with a broad and ever growing network of 25,000+ leaders of school districts, youth serving government agencies, non-profit and corporate partners from across the country focused on improving the lives of youth. Learn more at summerlearning.org.

About American Camp Association

The American Camp Association® (ACA) is a national organization serving the more than 20,000 year-round and summer camps in the US that annually serve 26 million campers. ACA is committed to collaborating with those who believe in quality camp and outdoor experiences for children, youth, and adults. ACA provides advocacy, evidence-based education, and professional development, and is the only independent national accrediting body for the organized camp experience. ACA accreditation provides public evidence of a camp's voluntary commitment to the health, safety, risk management, and overall well-being of campers and staff. For more information, visit ACAcamps.org

Lauren Krattiger
National Summer Learning Association
lkrattiger@summerlearning.org

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