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Summer reading initiatives can alleviate or even eliminate summer learning losses, but if you aren’t planning them more than a year out, you might miss the funding boat
The learning loss that occurs during the long summer break is so well known among educators that most districts have some kind of summer literacy initiative to combat the dreaded “summer slide.” But how can you make sure that when summer hits, your program is ready to go and fully funded, and that everyone, from partners to students and their parents, are ready to play their part? The key is starting early—very early—and looking for both funding and partners from the very beginning of planning.
The early bird gets the funding
The biggest step you can take to ensure your summer reading initiative is a success is to start in spring. No, not the spring before your summer reading program starts, but the spring more than a full year ahead of your initiative. As you establish budgets for the upcoming school year in May and June, funding for any summer projects at the end of that upcoming academic year need to be included so you’re not scrambling to find cash after all the money’s spoken for.
Fortunately, spring is also the time of year when title funds become available, and applications for title funds and other state and federal funding are generally due by October 1. That gives schools and districts a little more breathing room, but if you begin in the spring you can combine general funds and others to give yourself some more flexibility.