Back in the day, summer school was just for students who needed to recover lost course credit. Today, innovative districts are expanding their summer programs beyond traditional remediation of course failure to meet a wide range of student learning needs, including options to earn initial course credit, prepare for college entrance exams, and remediate gaps in the prerequisite knowledge needed for success in the upcoming grade level. Effective summer programs increase equity and opportunity by offering a range of options that serve increasingly diverse student populations across grade levels. Districts are using summertime to expand learning opportunities for all their students, from struggling to high achieving.
This white paper discusses how digital curriculum is playing a large part summer programs, giving educators more tools to reach all students and provide a personalize learning environment. Whether students need remediation or are working ahead of the rest of the class, competency-based progression embedded in digital curriculum ensures mastery for every student and steady progress toward learning goals. This also enables educators to facilitate more than one course at a time and therefore support more students. Finally, digital curriculum provides flexibility to students for where, when and how they learn. Students with transportation challenges or those who have other obligations, including summer sports, camps and jobs, can complete coursework on their own time, in their own space, periodically meeting with teachers for instruction and check-ins.
Forward-thinking districts are leveraging digital curriculum in a variety of ways to address a wider range of student needs to:
- Provide flexible opportunities to earn initial course credit
- Remediate gaps in prerequisite knowledge prior to advancing grade-levels
- Improve academic readiness for college and career
Download the white paper for best practices that you can use to expand your summer programs this year.
