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San Antonio is one of the key cities participating in Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Summer Boost program, an intensive summer learning initiative for rising first- through ninth-grade school students. This innovative educational initiative is aimed at mitigating the academic ‘summer slide,’ a known barrier to education in which students often lose substantial knowledge in math and science during the summer break.
As a partner of the Future Ready Bexar County Plan, City Education Partners is committed to providing access and resources to young people in our community to combat the “summer slide.” This is one of many efforts that is a part of community-wide strategic alignment to achieve the plan’s North Star goal of increasing postsecondary enrollment among Bexar County high school graduates to 70% by 2030.
Addressing learning gaps post-pandemic
The national statistics on the “summer slide” are alarming. Especially in Texas, educational retention was further exacerbated by the pandemic, leading to a significant drop in academic performance. Recent state data highlights that students across the state, particularly in the San Antonio region, are struggling academically, with the pandemic’s lingering impacts being a key factor.
Local support and investment
Recognizing the critical need for intervention, Bexar County Commissioners have pledged matching funds to support this initiative, ensuring robust local backing for the Summer Boost program. Additionally, local philanthropy has generously contributed to this cause, including Future Ready Bexar County Partners, City Education Partners and the San Antonio Area Foundation, as well as further support from the George W. Brackenridge Foundation, Choose to Succeed and The Ewing Halsell Foundation. This collaboration underscores the community’s commitment to reversing learning loss and fostering educational equity.
Program impact and expansion
Summer Boost has demonstrated significant success in previous years. A large-scale study revealed that just four weeks spent in the Summer Boost program last year helped students regain nearly one-fourth of their reading skills and one-third of math skills, compared to students who didn’t participate. The program’s expansion in San Antonio promises to provide essential academic support and enrichment activities to a growing number of students.
The experiential learning opportunities outside the classroom provide enriching experiences in nature, museums and historic sites. These activities allow students to extend their learning beyond traditional settings, fostering a deeper connection to the material and enhancing their overall educational journey.
Participating schools
In San Antonio, 95 campuses from traditional ISDs and public charter schools are set to participate in the Summer Boost program, which is funding up to 9,008 students across the city with approximately $15 million in philanthropic support.
Jacqueline Park, dean of academics at Schools of Science and Technology, highlighted the program’s transformative impact:
“The Summer Boost program has been a great opportunity for students to grow in their Math and Reading skills while having fun. Beyond academics, we’ve also been able to see growth in students’ social and emotional skills,” she said. “Our teachers are excited to deliver high-quality, engaging lessons that meet student needs, creating an impactful educational experience.”
At Future Ready Bexar County partner CAST Schools’ three Summer Boost program sites, students receive academic instruction in English Language Arts (ELA) and math, alongside enrichment activities such as bucket drumming to explore cultural rhythms, climate and ecosystem studies with landscape design, filmmaking, arts and crafts, and water studies at San Pedro Creek. School trips feature visits to the McNay Museum of Art, TrueHeart Ranch for hike and paint experiences, and a college trip and scavenger hunt at Texas A&M University – San Antonio.
“We have a long-standing belief in the importance of summer programming as a means to close the opportunity gap, extend experiential learning, dig into passion projects, and connect students to career opportunities,” Jeanne Russell, Executive Director of CAST Schools, said. “Summer Boost has allowed all three of our San Antonio ISD schools to develop enrichment programs that are customized to their schools.”
Looking forward
At City Education Partners, we envision a future where every child in San Antonio attends a school that prepares them to powerfully engage with life. The continuation and expansion of the Summer Boost program is a pivotal step towards this vision, offering our children the tools they need to thrive academically and beyond.
