Resources

The District Summer Learning Network has developed a suite of tools and resources that districts can use to support summer learning design and implementation. These tools were developed to support critical summer learning design elements and are being validated with network coaches and districts.

Overall Tool Resources

These resources provide an overview of DSLN tools that help districts strengthen equity, community partnerships, and whole child development practices in their summer learning programs. The tools are intended to support your visioning and program design in concrete ways. View the webinar to learn more about the tool design and validation process and opportunities to provide feedback.

Tools Overview Webinar

Academic Quality

This tool (previously called the Instructional Quality tool) was designed to help districts plan engaging, empowering, relevant, and rigorous summer programs so that all students have access to high quality summer instruction.  It addresses the summer learning environment, student engagement, instruction, and curriculum.  

Improving Instructional Quality Webinar

Communication

This tool will help districts strategically plan summer learning-related communications to reach the right audiences at the right time with messages that move them to action.

Equity

This planning tool is designed to support districts in determining key equity priorities in the vision and design of summer learning, where to begin, and how to get there. It is intended to help districts make informed planning decisions that take into account any inequities that they may choose to address and build upon over time. 

Multilingual Learner

This tool will guide district teams through preparing for three years of evidence-based, high-quality summer learning experiences that center and elevate the assets and needs of the Multilingual Learners in their schools. DSLN’s core are embedded along with special attention to language acquisition and linguistically- and culturally-relevant and -sustaining practices.

Overview of Multilingual Learner Summer Success Tool Webinar
Webinar on Multilingual Tool: Section A
Webinar on Multilingual Tool: Section B
Webinar on Multilingual Tool: Section C
Webinar on Multilingual Tool: Section D

Older Youth

This document outlines some strategies that provide high-interest, relevant learning opportunities that create meaningful academic experiences that both engage and support high school students. 

Partnerships

This tool is designed to support districts and community organizations in designing a model for collaboration that helps create transformative summer learning opportunities and experiences for the young people in a community.

Roadmap

This tool will guide district teams through planning three years of evidence-based, high-quality summer learning experiences. The roadmap will help districts ensure that summer learning programs are more sustainable and successful for students, staff, and community members. 

Sustainability

This resource is designed as a quarterly action guide that district and program leaders can use to plan for and reflect on sustainability questions throughout the year. It includes customizable strategy guides and meeting agendas to support design and planning efforts.

Beyond a Flash in the Pan. Sustaining Innovative ESSER-Funded Summer Programs for the Long Term. 

Whole Child Develpment

This planning tool is intended to help districts make whole child planning decisions. It will help districts clarify how their vision for summer learning incorporates a whole child approach; consider how program planning and implementation addresses the whole child; and identify how success will be measured.

Youth Voice

This overview and guidance document is intended to help districts understand the importance of including youth voice in decision making and implement focus groups to gather feedback from young learners. It provides detailed support for developing focus group questions (including samples), coordinating and facilitating sessions with students, compiling and analyzing their feedback, and sharing your findings with other interested parties.

This protocol is intended to be used with summer learning participants when planning a summer learning session, although it can be adapted for evaluation and reflection purposes. It provides a step-by-step script you can use during focus group sessions with engaging prompts to encourage thoughtful student responses.  We have also provided language and recommendations for users who are conducting a virtual focus group.

Want to learn more about being a part of the Network?

Members get access to additional resources created by the DSLN team and from other member districts. 
Email us at summerlearning@fhi360.org.