New Report Highlights Superintendents' Strong Commitment to Summer Learning, Amid Funding Challenges
March 18, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Study by National Summer Learning Association, AASA, The School Superintendents Association and Gallup Shows District Leaders Prioritize Academic Benefits of Summer Programs
Alexandria, Va. – March 18, 2025 — A new study by the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA), AASA, The School Superintendents Association, and Gallup underscores the critical role that summer learning programs play in achieving school district goals, despite ongoing funding concerns. The report, Bridging the Summer Gap: What District Leaders Say About Learning Beyond the School Year, presents insights from U.S. school superintendents on summer learning opportunities, challenges, and future priorities.
Superintendents Strongly Support Summer Learning and Plan to Keep Investing Despite Funding Uncertainty
An overwhelming 91% of superintendents say summer programs are essential to achieving their district's strategic objectives, with 41% rating them as “very important.” Larger and urban districts place even greater emphasis on their importance.
Despite the phasing out of federal pandemic-related funding, 82% of superintendents plan to maintain or increase spending on summer learning programs in 2025. Many districts are transitioning funding from temporary federal support to district budgets (81%) and grants (52%).
High-quality summer learning programs are not just beneficial; they are essential to student success.
“This research underscores what superintendents across the country know to be true—high-quality summer learning programs are not just beneficial; they are essential to student success. Even as federal emergency funds expire, district leaders remain committed to sustaining and expanding these opportunities because they see firsthand the positive impact they make on academic achievement and student engagement,” said David R. Schuler, AASA, The School Superintendents Association’s Executive Director. “At AASA, we are proud to partner with Gallup and the National Summer Learning Association to highlight the vital role of summer learning in closing achievement gaps and preparing students for a bright future.”
Academic Gains Are the Top Priority for Summer, But Enrollment Barriers Persist
Superintendents primarily view summer programs through an academic lens, with 73% identifying maintaining or improving academic skills as the most important benefit. In contrast, parents tend to prioritize engagement and social aspects, such as having fun and making friends.
Scheduling conflicts are cited as the biggest barrier to student participation in summer learning by superintendents, with 75% highlighting parent-child schedule conflicts and 65% pointing to other extracurricular activities. A lack of transportation was also a commonly mentioned challenge across all respondents.
Measuring Success Through Academic Improvement
When evaluating summer program effectiveness, 33% of superintendents measure success by improved student reading and math scores, while 25% assess student performance at the beginning of the new school year. Another 25% track enrollment numbers as a key performance metric.
“This Gallup report confirms that high-quality summer learning programs are not just enrichment, they are critical to student success,” said Aaron P. Dworkin, CEO of NSLA. “NSLA is dedicated to supporting superintendents and district leaders in expanding access to meaningful summer learning opportunities for more students.”
As districts prepare for summer 2025, the report highlights the need for sustainable funding solutions, increased access, and enhanced program flexibility to accommodate family schedules.
The full report, Bridging the Summer Gap: What District Leaders Say About Learning Beyond the School Year, is available here.
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About AASA
AASA, The School Superintendents Association,
founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders in the United States and throughout the world. AASA’s mission is to support and develop effective school system leaders who are dedicated to equitable
access for all students to the highest quality public education. For more information, visit www.aasa.org.
About the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA)
Celebrating 30 years of impact, NSLA has worked to combat summer learning loss and close the opportunity gap, which research shows grows most dramatically between lower- and
higher-income students over the summer months. NSLA works to ensure all of America’s students, regardless of background, income or ZIP code, can access and benefit from a high-quality summer learning experience every year. NSLA supports
and collaborates with a broad and ever-growing network of 25,000+ leaders of school districts, youth-serving government agencies, and nonprofit and corporate partners from across the country focused on improving the lives of youth. Learn more
at summerlearning.org.
About Gallup
Gallup delivers data-driven insights to help organizations and leaders solve their most pressing challenges. With over 85 years of research and analytics, Gallup supports education institutions nationwide in fostering student success. Visit www.gallup.com for more information.
