Strategies for Sustaining Summer Learning
“We wouldn’t be where we are without DSLN. As outside experts, DSLN justified and supported the importance of summer learning. The PD and evidence-based practices really changed us to be better.”
– Kathleen McKeever, former director, Washington Elementary School District (AZ) academic support programs
Overview
With the end of the American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds, DSLN members remain committed to providing engaging, acceleration-focused summer programs that promote academic and enrichment opportunities. DSLN’s sustainability approach introduces strategies such as building community investment and local capacity and adopting strategic approaches to funding.
Sustainability strategies
DSLN supports multiple sustainability strategies such as the three highlighted below, which are described in detail in our Sustainability Spotlight.
Building community investment
We work with DSLN members to encourage buy-in and investment so programs can continue. Our districts and states build coalitions with families and communities and share program impact stories with multiple audiences to help maintain support and funding.
Building capacity
DSLN districts and states continue to leverage previous ESSER investments for staff professional learning and skills building, which support strong programming today. And districts are refining summer learning collaboration systems that make ongoing planning more efficient and effective.
Funding strategically
DSLN coaches and network members share ideas and best practices for blending, braiding, and layering funds to sustain programs. They also use continuous improvement practices to understand what's working well and prioritize initiatives most likely to help students thrive during summer—and beyond.
Sustainability Tool
Looking for a guide to help you make your program more sustainable?
DSLN partnered with district and education leaders to develop this Sustainability for Summer Learning Programs tool. In the tool you’ll find:
- Quarterly sustainability strategy guides aligned to the summer learning planning calendar
- Ready-to-use agendas that will help you involved the right people and ask the right questions
- Activities to support stakeholder engagement, effective policies and practices, and financial sustainability
Want to learn more about being a part of the network?
Find out how DSLN can help you improve your summer programs.
Email us at summerlearning@fhi360.org.
Washington Elementary School District
A case study in sustainability
The district
Washington Elementary School District (AZ)
An urban district serving over 2,500 pre-K3-8 students
The challenge
How do you continue summer learning programming after ESSER funding ends?
The approach
Pull in champions from across the district and community, collect feedback on student and family experiences, and make the case for summer learning impact and continuation.
After the COVID pandemic, Washington Elementary School District (WESD) used ESSER and 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) funds to transform summer learning by improving academic quality and supporting the well-being of staff and students. Working with DSLN, district staff used a systems lens to identify key areas for program sustainability, such as data use, continuous improvement, leadership, organizational capacity, partnerships, stakeholder engagement, and financial resources.
The district's approach reflects the three DSLN sustainability strategies:
Thanks to improved communication and engagement and the use of data practices to measure and report impact, WESD now has a coalition of stakeholder groups that understand the importance of summer learning and are eager to see it continue. WESD staff also worked with their DSLN coach to implement a cross-department summer planning model with key district leaders and student success teams.
With DSLN support, the district created feedback mechanisms for students, parents, and staff to better understand needs and program quality. And WESD used communications and engagement strategies from DSLN professional learning sessions—like board reports and a tailored impact report—to highlight the impact of summer learning, encourage buy-in, and help make the case for sustained funding.
As part of its sustainability focus, WESD emphasized organizational capacity. The district designed coaching and planning sessions around the following questions:
- What learning will help leaders and staff sustain this work?
- What systems and structures are needed to increase staff engagement and capacity to implement high-quality programming?
Using the DSLN Roadmap and regular coaching sessions, WESD examined past programming and developed goals to improve program quality. This led to changes aligning the summer and school-year reading curricula, with assessments to measure student growth.
WESD’s DSLN coach worked with the team to navigate conversations about funding with key decision makers. They expanded their thinking about sustaining funding, finding new ways to blend and braid funding streams. WESD also considered potential partnerships that could support sustainability, leading to a new relationship with the City of Phoenix Public Library. This partnership helped the district and the library system leverage financial and in-kind resources, enhancing the quality of summer programming for both.
TAKE ACTION
To make sure your summer program is built to last
Create a detailed list of individuals and groups who are critical to summer design, implementation, and sustainability. Note their roles, priorities, and ways you can engage them. Find opportunities to bring them into the planning—and to share and celebrate summer learning successes!
District Summer Learning Network
From 2021–2025, FHI 360 built a network of over 100 districts and states to transform summer learning across the country. Big changes happened.
Find out how DSLN’s insights can help you.