On April 12th, the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) released new guidance on developing summer learning programs and opportunities during the upcoming school year to accelerate student learning and support “whole child” needs.
The document, Accelerating Student Learning During Summer Learning Programs and Through the Academic Year, was created to help schools and districts develop acceleration plans using evidence based strategies and practices that will include a combination of academics, enrichment opportunities, and strategies that support students’ social-emotional and behavioral needs.
The recommendations for summer included in this guidance document were adapted from research conducted by the Rand Corporation (2018) and the Wallace Foundation (2018 and 2019) and focus on:
- Creating effective summer learning programs designed to accelerate student learning
- Integrating social-emotional learning (SEL) into summer learning programs
Best practices for summer include: developing and effective planning process; holding a summer program for five to six weeks, small class sizes, and a mix of academic and enrichment activities.
During the school year, KDE is currently recommending that schools and districts focus on implementing “high-intensity tutoring and vacation academies…to provide ongoing support to meet students’ academic needs.”
As guidance on COVID-19 and school reopening continues to evolve, this document will be updated as needed to reflect any new information they receive. The Kentucky Out-of-School Alliance (KYOSA) is also working with KDE to make available a list of resources on afterschool and summer learning to go along with this document.