Metro-area school districts are preparing to offer a major increase in summer programming to help students recover academic and social time they lost because of the coronavirus pandemic.
In the St. Paul and Minneapolis districts this summer, free programs will be offered to anyone who’s interested, rather than focusing as usual on students who need that time the most.
That’s not the case in suburban districts that shared their plans with the Pioneer Press, although most are making more students eligible for free summer instruction or adding weeks to their schedules.
After more than a year of distance learning, sudden school closures and hybrid schedules, the need for remediation figures to be great, especially in math. Still, school officials wonder whether families will be interested and whether they’ll have enough teachers to work in their expanded summer programs.
“Teachers are tired from a year like no other and, traditionally, many students and families have not been excited about ‘summer school.’ We hope this year will be different due to the awareness of the impact of the pandemic on learning,” said Renae Ouillette, executive director of student services for Lakeville Area Schools.
A series of congressional appropriations are paying for much of the summer programming.
There’s $57.5 million in federal funding from the December relief bill, which Minnesota schools can spend over the next three summers.
In addition, the American Rescue Plan, which President Joe Biden signed last month, includes $1.32 billion for Minnesota schools alone, to be spent over the next 3½ years. At least 90 percent of that must go directly to school districts, with high-poverty districts seeing a greater share, while the rest can be used for state education priorities and administration.
At least 20 percent of the new federal funds must be spent on evidence-based interventions that address learning loss, which for many will include new or expanded summer programming.
HOUSE DEBATE
The Minnesota House recently passed a $104.5 million bill based on Gov. Tim Walz’s education plan, which would be partly funded by the federal relief act. It would cover about $55 million in education and related services over the summer and the end of this school year, including summer preschool, tutoring, field trips, neighborhood programs and more. A companion bill hasn’t yet had a hearing in the Senate, where Republicans hold the majority.
Debate in the House fell along party and geographic lines, with Republicans suggesting the state simply hand out summer school money on a per-student basis and let each school district decide how to spend it.
For most of the summer learning funds, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor bill calls for “equitable distribution” between the metro area and Greater Minnesota but also the prioritization of “historically underserved students.” House Republicans doubt that suburban and rural schools will get their share.
Republicans tried to replace Walz’s plan with their own $75 million summer school proposal. Under their plan, wealthier schools would have received extra money to counter the poverty-based formulas used to award much of the federal recovery funds.
Republicans also wanted to limit the summer programming to in-person instruction, while Walz’s plan allows for virtual programming.
“Our bill and this amendment funds kids,” said House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. “It gets kids into a classroom, in front of a teacher and it gets them learning. And it funds them equitably, across the state.”
“If we’re trying to get our kids caught up after a year of distance learning, they need to be in the classroom,” Rep. Jon Koznick, R-Lakeville, said.
Bill sponsor Rep. Jim Davnie, DFL-Minneapolis, scoffed at Daudt’s definition of equity.
“What’s equitable is to recognize … that some schools, some communities have been harder hit by the pandemic,” he said.
And, unless the Legislature puts it in law, Davnie said, targeted services, such as math and reading corps and summer tuition assistance for new college students, aren’t going to be funded.
ST. PAUL
For the most part, metro school districts aren’t waiting for the Legislature to act before making plans for the summer.
St. Paul Public Schools is preparing to offer three six-week sessions of summer school instead of two four-week sessions. They’re also lengthening the daily program to 6½ hours and opening it up to “all students who are interested in participating,” Chief Operations Officer Jackie Turner said.
“S-Term will include much more robust programming, both in the numbers in enrollment, as well as actual time in the day, as well as extended throughout the summer,” she said.
Like last summer, students will be encouraged to take their iPads home to participate in the district’s online programming, as well.
Superintendent Joe Gothard said the district has been planning for a big summer since fall, recognizing the pandemic has been hard on students.
After 13 months of distance learning, St. Paul will reopen its middle and high schools for in-person instruction on April 14.
MINNEAPOLIS
In past years, only qualifying students could participate in Minneapolis Public Schools summer programs. This year, programs largely are open to all students who attend a public school in Minneapolis, including charters.
The district plans to offer several new programs as part of a rebranded summer package they’re calling Summer Scholars.
Options include multiple free, six-week enrichment programs for elementary and middle school students.
Most are in-person, such as one that develops leadership skills while students explore nature.
There’s also an online option in which students explore science, technology, engineering and math.
SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY
South Washington County Schools is hosting a free new, four-week program in July called the Mix for children entering grades 1-5, and a similar one for middle schoolers. Eligibility is limited to students who have been identified as needing additional support this summer.
They’ll attend four days a week, for six hours a day in elementary and four hours a day at the middle school level. Licensed teachers will lead hands-on learning projects that focus on student social-emotional development while also shoring up math and reading skills.
The district also is offering fee-based recreation and enrichment programming, child care, neighborhood programs and virtual summer tutoring in math and reading.
ISD 622
North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale is lengthening some programs, adding new ones and identifying more students than usual for targeted services this summer.
Select elementary students will be invited to a new literacy program that includes field trips and instruction through American Indian books.
There’s also a new offering for incoming high school freshmen who struggled during middle school. They can take a “fun, engaging” summer class for high school credit, said Tricia St. Michaels, director of student services.
Current high schoolers who have shown leadership skills will be invited to a youth leadership camp that officials hope will build relationships that benefit their schools in the fall.
In order to persuade enough teachers to work the programs, the district is considering shared positions that allow teachers to work only half the time.
“We’re offering more (programs), we’re offering them longer, and we have staff who may have previously worked but it doesn’t look the same for them this year,” St. Michaels said.
MOUNDS VIEW
Mounds View’s summer instructional programs again will be limited to select at-risk students.
But its programs will be 33 percent longer than in a typical summer, starting in June and ending in August. And each teacher will have half as many students this summer — six, compared to the usual 12 — to allow for more personalized instruction, Assistant Superintendent Jeff Ridlehoover said.
Meanwhile, the Community Education department is scheduling non-instructional summer activities around the instructional programs so that students have something to do throughout the day.
LAKEVILLE
Lakeville Area is focusing its summer programming on students who missed a lot of school during distance learning, as well as those struggling in literacy and math and those with significant social and emotional needs.
Targeted students in grades K-8 will be invited to a three-week session of “fun, engaging” in-person instruction, Ouillette said. The district plans to offer two sessions, each running on a half-day schedule, four days a week.
Additional summer programming still is being developed.
DISTRICT 196
The Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan district will offer some additional programming this summer but still is working on its plan. Families should learn more by late April.
STILLWATER
Stillwater Area Public Schools has no plans to change its programming this summer. However, if new money arrives in time, the district will offer contracted tutoring at no cost to families.