In summer 2021, the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) offered a series of virtual and in person summer programs for students who had completed grades PreK-12. In response to students experiencing digital and hybrid learning from March 2020 – June 2021, summer 2021 programming offerings were expanded from previous summers.

Key findings include:

• Nearly 16,000 students were enrolled in summer programming.
• Over 12,000 students attended a program for at least one day.
• Nearly 6,000 students attended at least one summer program for 75% or more of days.
• 8,500 credits were recovered and grades were improved for high school students this summer. Nearly 400 of these credits were recovered and grades were improved for graduating students, who without the summer program would not have graduated.
• Staff were grateful to support students and acknowledged the need to provide extra specialized support for students who experienced virtual or hybrid learning for over a year.
•  Staff expressed concerns about communication, organization, and implementation and provided suggestions for improving the experience for staff, students, and families for next summer.
• Students and families were appreciative for the summer opportunities and provided recommendations to improve the experience for students and families for next summer.