Summer learning represents opportunities, gaps

When one in five U.S. kids lives in poverty, action is needed on many fronts. This is consistent with a “Broader, Bolder Approach to Education” emphasizing schools, families, neighborhoods, health and other resources.

Baltimore students are among those whose summers’ “lasting consequences” have been documented. Differential summer learning in early grades parallels disparity in reading, on average, correlated with students’ socioeconomic status. The authors conclude: “Since it is low SES youth specifically whose out-of-school learning lags behind, this summer shortfall relative to better-off children contributes to the perpetuation of family advantage and disadvantage across generations.”

Disparities extend to athletic, nutritional, and cultural enrichment chances unevenly distributed. Conventional “summer school” can be dully remedial, deterring students from attending regularly and thereby minimizing useful effects.

The National Summer Learning Association is one source. A 2017 Brookings analysis cites evidence about the significance of summer stimulation and structure. Sometimes teachers can reinforce kids’ summer reading at home.

In The Opportunity Equation, Eric Schwarz writes, “Some of the achievement gap … is caused by inequality be- tween schools…. This inequality needs to change. But [there are discrepancies] after school or in the summers, at home or in a growing constellation of tutoring centers, skill-building camps, and paid enrichment and internship programs. Upper-income kids get many thousands of dollars invested in … extra learning.... This inequality needs to change too.”

We don’t have to accept these inequities, magnified by language barriers, racial bias, and “adverse childhood experiences”. In addition to advocating for sufficient public investments in schools, we can strengthen community organizations supporting students and their families.

In New Haven, the Boys & Girls Club; Connecticut Center for Arts and Technology; Junta; LEAP; and Solar Youth are just a few of the nonprofits doing important work year-round. University part- nerships include visits to labs and museums as well as the federally funded GEAR UP and Upward Bound. The Police Athletic/Activities League (PAL), Parks and Recreation, and Public Library provide positive activities. The Fresh Air Fund helps, too. Older youth need more internships/jobs, such as Youth@Work.

Like most other families, my wife and I assist our children with learning — but ability to pay can be a factor. Our daughter appreciates a six-week academic program, with another week of sleep-away camp, while our son enjoys sports and music camps. We’re also availing ourselves of low-cost (even free) options through the parks and library systems, which — along with public schools — we readily bolster through taxes. Our modest philanthropic donations include some to youth organizations.

Let us not be “dream hoarders” as Richard Reeves charges, or (as Matthew Stewart argues in the Atlantic) worsen entrenchment of an “aristocracy” with opportunities unimaginable to most kids of the middle class, let alone of lower income.

Instead, boost public equity, as well as nonprofits striving to complement our public institutions. And consider tutoring or mentoring a young person yourself.