School's In for Summer: Impacts of School-Based Summer Enrichment Program for Low-Income Students

• In Event: Millennium Hotel Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Summer Learning, STEM, and Expanding the School Day: Strategies for Supporting Academic Achievement in Out-of-School Time

Abstract

To close the achievement gap, educators and policymakers have focused on what goes on at school. However, what goes on outside of school, particularly during the summer, may also have a significant impact on educational outcomes. We present findings from research on a four-week summer enrichment program designed to provide opportunities to students in poverty may not otherwise have access to during the school year or at home. Using a propensity score weighting approach, we found positive, significant impacts on Renaissance STAR reading and math scores and on the year-end state standardized reading test scores, and we used interview and survey data to identify factors that may explain these positive outcomes.

Authors

• Kaily Yee, SRI International

• Viki M. Young, SRI International

• Xin Wei, SRI International