Editor’s note: This commentary is by Rebecca Holcombe, the state secretary of education.
[F]or many, summer in the Green Mountain State brings to mind long days, fun camps, sunshine and time spent outside with a good book or a new hobby.
However, summer doesn’t always promise the same opportunities for all of Vermont’s students, especially those who live in poverty or are “school dependent” because their parents may not be able to provide them with the rich opportunities other students receive.
The gap between families with resources and families without continues to widen. Nationally, the achievement gap between children from high- and low-income families has been growing for at least 50 years and, according to researcher Sean Corcoran, is roughly 30 to 40 percent larger among children born in 2001 than among those born 25 years earlier. In fact, it is now nearly twice as large as the black-white achievement gap. Children of color who also struggle with both racial prejudice and the adverse effects of poverty are uniquely disadvantaged.
Our children don’t choose the circumstances into which they are born, but right now, more than any time in the last 50 years, the circumstances into which you are born determine your life outcomes. That is fundamentally undemocratic and unfair, and it is a fundamental waste of the promise of these children.
It doesn’t have to be this way. We know that access to good nutrition, health care, responsive adults and safe and supportive environments can help even the most challenged child thrive and learn. If we don’t provide these conditions, we are essentially manufacturing inequity at the level of the brain.
More than half of the achievement gap between more and less affluent children can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. In addition, strong afterschool programs can provide additional enrichment and support and access to food that our school dependent children need to thrive.
Together with our school districts, we need to make sure that every child has the support and opportunities he or she needs to learn and develop, regardless of his or her family circumstances. High quality summer learning programs and strong afterschool programs, coupled with food programs, will go a long way towards narrowing our opportunity and achievement gaps.
Around Vermont, innovative leaders from local schools and communities are blending more local, state and federal resources to create high-quality summer learning opportunities. These programs can offer academically rich curriculum, choice-based engaging projects that build critical thinking and team building skills as well as providing nutritious meals, extensive movement, and intentionally designed community based excursions.
The nearly at-capacity program in Rutland City, for example, serves students for six weeks of learning. Deb Hathaway, executive director of the Tapestry and Epic programs, said programs “provide students with opportunities they may never have without attending the program.” In addition to individualized tutoring in math and English language arts, the program offers many integrated choices such as field trips to state parks, swimming at the local pool, mountain biking, and African art for example where a livestream of wild animals in Africa is projected through a Smartboard.
“We see positive results with kids engaging in the programs, and we know kids are improving based on pre- and post-assessments,” Hathaway said.
A peek into the Jamaica Elementary School and grounds recently revealed groups of smiling young people practicing summer “Olympics” in stations, running and measuring results. Inside, some were playing learning games in teams, while others were being tutored in areas of need. School data and teacher recommendations help program directors identify which students need what type of additional assistance.
Seven miles down Route 30 at the SEEK middle school program in Townshend, young budding engineers were building and troubleshooting their robotic creations, completing complicated circuits, field testing and collaborating on design. Another group headed into the forest to research. A third group was working on teamwork and leadership development activities. All of these choices were clearly driven by youth interest and desire.
Academics and summer opportunities like these are blended into high quality summer programs, giving every student exposure to unique opportunities in different ways, building off the strength, resources, and creativity of local Vermont educators, partners, and families. All of Vermont’s children deserve a summer filled with rich experiences that not only create lasting memories of joy and friendship but help too to access a full life of continued opportunity and learning, no matter the season.
