School District and City Announce 2021 Summer Learning Programs for Students

The School District of Philadelphia announced today that it is expanding summer program opportunities for 2021 and will offer something for students at every grade level. Through partnerships with the city and local organizations, these opportunities will combine project-based learning with extra-curricular programming, providing a fun and safe environment for students to continue learning during the summer months. Programs will take place in-person at 24 schools across the city for students entering grades one through 12, and based on registration, can open up to 39 total schools.

“Even though not all students have been back in our school buildings, learning has and will continue to take place and we want to keep that momentum going forward,” said William R. Hite, Jr. Ed.D. “Providing summer programs for our students are proven to play a huge role in narrowing academic achievement gaps and helping students reach and maintain grade-level performances in reading and math.”

Program options include:

• PreK and Kindergarten virtual transition program to provide instruction for the earliest learners and help families and children feel confident about starting school in the fall.
• Rising grades one to eight programs for additional ELA/Math skills and project-based learning, art, music and PE.
• Extended School Year (ESY) program will serve students who require special education supports and services to maintain progress and meet their most critical goals, as determined by the student’s IEP.
• English Learners, specifically newcomers and students with limited or interrupted formal education, will have English language development programs.
• Traditional Summer Bridge option has been expanded to include grades nine and 10.
• Quarter 5 Program, high school students entering grades 10, 11, or 12  and current seniors who have failed a course during the 2020-2021 school year will have additional time to improve grades, gain mastery of course content and skills, work towards proficiency, and earn credits they need to stay on track towards graduation and be successful.
• Career Immersion Program has expanded so students can gain deeper insight into a specific major or career through paid work-experience and advice from experts in the field.

“We are excited to create these opportunities to bridge what students have learned to what they are going to be learning in the next school year,” said Malika Savoy-Brooks, Ed.D., chief of Academic Support at the School District of Philadelphia. “While these programs will take place during the span of a regular school day, we’ve been very intentional about creating exciting programming that aligns with our academic standards to engage students.”

Extra-curricular activities for grades 1 through 8 will be provided by Out-of-School Time (OST) programs funded by the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Children and Families.

“Summer is an important time for young people to expand their horizons, connect with their peers, and have fun while learning,” said Deputy Mayor Cynthia Figueroa.  “We’re proud to partner with the School District to provide rich in-person learning opportunities this summer, and excited to make summer 2021 a time of learning and fun. Summer programs are a vital part of our city’s recovery from the disruptions and isolation created by the pandemic. We look forward to a summer of opportunity and growth for every young person.”

For more information and to register for these summer programs, visit philasd.org/summer2021.

In addition, the District also announced the opening of the SY2021-2022 Budget Engagement Survey for public participation. This survey will help inform the School District of Philadelphia’s budgeting priorities for the funds received through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The online survey, which is open now through April 16 at philasd.org, will take about ten minutes to complete and is available in numerous languages.