However, traditional summer school programs are not the only opportunities available for students in many districts. Summer learning programs offering recreation and enrichment may also be provided, including programs offered through collaborations with local agencies, community organizations and other businesses or groups.
For school boards, it is important to ensure alignment between the district’s summer offerings and its Local Control and Accountability Plan, other applicable district and school plans, and the educational program provided during the regular school year. This alignment should be reflected in a district policy addressing summer learning programs, as should other key information, such as enrollment priority, availability of district transportation and program evaluation. CSBA’s sample BP 6177 – Summer Learning Programs is a useful starting point for these and other matters related to summer programs, and can be revised as needed. Other CSBA resources for summer learning can be found at www.csba.org/summerlearning.
- Summer programs can address the setbacks students may experience during long breaks from regular instruction
- A district policy should be adopted to ensure summer offerings align with LCAP and other applicable plans provided during the regular school year
CSBA’s sample BP and AR 3552 – Summer Meal Program provide a framework for districts approved by the CDE under the SSFO and SFSP programs to convey essential details such as plans for community outreach, site selection, meal information and strategies for program implementation.
Although summer plans and priorities vary by district, all school boards and administrators should consider their critical role in establishing policies that can guide the development, implementation and maintenance of summer programming. CSBA maintains sample policies on these topics and continues to work to provide districts with policy tools and services to promote educational excellence and student well-being.