Summer programs have the potential to improve academic achievement and learning readiness for participating children and youth. Summer learning loss, the phenomenon where young people lose academic skills over the summer, is one of the most significant causes of the achievement gap between lower and higher income youth and one of the strongest contributors to the high school dropout rate. For many young people, the summer “opportunity gap” contributes to the gaps in achievement, employment and college and career success.

The Summer Technical Assistance Network Project prepares program staff to run the highest quality summer programs for youth. Participating sites gain training and tools that maximize their effectiveness and technical assistance to help them implement everything they learn.

The Summer TA Network Project taught me the preparation needed to run an effective summer reading program and how to utilize all the nearby resources around the surrounding community.
— Program Director, Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club
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Project Components

  • Summer Specific Training: to strengthen the capacity of capacity of out-school time and expanded learning programs to deliver high quality summer programming that meets the needs of children and youth. Staff will understand elements of high-quality programs and the process of continuous improvement to build strong summer programs. Tools, strategies and best practices introduced in these trainings are aligned with summer learning leaders in the field including the Summer Matters Campaign, ASAPConnect and the National Summer Learning Association.
  • Technical Assistance: ongoing needs- driven support by a Summer TA Provider focused specifically on summer that strengthens the quality of summer learning programs.
  • Tools and Resources: tools for planning and assessing your program aligned with National Summer Learning Association's Comprehensive Assessment of Summer Programs (CASP).

 

We have a language to talk about summer program: especially “intentional programming.” Staff are more connected to summer learning loss AND their ability to fight it.
— Program Director, Mid-Peninsula Boys and Girls Club

 

Please contact Hannah Davidman at 510-444-4622 x110 or hdavidman@calsac.org for more information about the Summer TA Network Project.