In this policy brief—the third in our series with the National Conference of State Legislatures—we explore four benefits of year-round learning. In particular, continuity in learning opportunities across time and settings allows:
- Shared resources among educational partners,
- Family and youth engagement in learning,
- Prevention of summer learning loss, and
- Coordinated systems to track and use data.
This brief provides examples of year-round learning programs. It also provides recommendations for policymakers who want to increase youth engagement in learning. Specifically, policymakers can look for opportunities to:
- Support flexible funding initiatives to cover year-round learning strategies as a whole, rather than funding them individually.
- Combine state money with funds from various other sources, which can help maximize use of public money for youth programs.
- Consider policies that encourage schools and parents to work with summer and afterschool programs to tailor programming to youth's interests and needs.
- Take into account the impact of summer learning loss on the achievement gap and the role summer programs can play in minimizing that loss.
- Find ways that schools, parents, agencies, and community partners can share student information in a secure manner.
Go to Year-Round Learning: Continuity in Education Across Settings and Time Through Expanded Learning Opportunities.
Learn more about our series on expanded learning opportunities.