After a short break last week, I’m now scrambling to get back on top of all the expanded learning news out there—much of which, understandably, centers on summer learning.
On that note, I’ll point you to this piece by The Washington Post‘s Jay Mathews on the need to rethink old visions of summer school.
It might be time to shed our discomfort with the notion of summer school for all, and see whether it helps our kids, particularly those in districts such as D.C.
Mathews, who also serves on the board of Education Week‘s nonprofit parent company, references a recent survey by the Afterschool Alliance showing that only one in four children in the United States attend summer-learning programs. He cites research showing that poor children often fall behind their peers during summers between school. In Washington, that’s a problem, Mathews writes, as he urges parents to check out opportunities for their kids.
There are options out there, for some kids, he writes, adding, “Would it be so bad if every child had a chance to learn in that way, and get a head start on the new school year?”