Summer Rising Program Shows Promise in Academic Gains, Amid Funding Concerns

During a recent New York City Public Schools Council meeting, officials discussed the metrics used to assess the effectiveness of the Summer Rising program. The program aims to address summer learning loss, particularly for students facing educational barriers.

Key insights shared during the meeting emphasized the reliance on several academic metrics to gauge the program’s impact. Officials revealed that they compare the academic growth of Summer Rising students with that of similar students who did not participate in the program. Utilizing screening assessments that all students take allows for a “valid comparison data” set. The analysis actually reported statistically significant improvements in math for Summer Rising participants, indicating positive outcomes for broader student populations, especially those in temporary housing and English language learners (Source: https://youtu.be/M23PisrzeNU&t=8875).

Chancellor’s testimony pointed to the ongoing evaluation process and the preliminary results gathered from last year’s analysis, which were shared at an earlier session. For instance, a strong correlation was noted between the number of attendance days and academic gain, suggesting that students who attended more frequently benefitted more from the program (Source: https://youtu.be/M23PisrzeNU&t=9073).

However, some council members raised concerns about the program’s overall effectiveness, questioning whether positive academic impacts were solely attributable to Summer Rising activities compared to other summer camps. They insisted on understanding what distinguishes Summer Rising’s effectiveness amidst other available summer programs (Source: https://youtu.be/M23PisrzeNU&t=9007).

The council also discussed the need for further investment in such educational initiatives, emphasizing that while Summer Rising currently relies heavily on human capital, financial support is crucial for expanding the program when data shows successful outcomes. As officials noted, the ultimate aim is to create high-quality interventions that not only work locally but can potentially be applied citywide (Source: https://youtu.be/M23PisrzeNU&t=9443).

Overall, while the Summer Rising program demonstrates promising results in tracking academic improvements, continuous monitoring and transparency in funding are necessary to scale up its initiatives effectively for broader impact on New York City’s youth.