The summer gap begins when school doors close, and many children lose access to daily routines, educational support, and dependable nutrition that help them thrive. For families already juggling tight budgets and demanding schedules, summer can quickly become a season of added pressure and stress.

Summer Learning Loss

Summer learning loss – or the decline in academic skills and learning during the school break – can have a lasting impact on academic outcomes. Studies show that over the summer, students can forget 20-30% of what they learned during the school year. Without the right support, students often start the new school year playing catchup, which can cause them to fall further behind.

Summer can also intensify food insecurity. Of the more than 22 million kids who rely on free or reduced-priced school meals, many lose access to these vital programs over the summer. When those meals disappear, families must stretch already limited budgets to cover up to 10 additional meals a week per child.

Community-Wide Approach

Addressing the summer gap requires a community-wide approach and solutions that meet hardworking families where they are. For example, United Way Community Schools are community-based hubs that bring together schools, social services agencies, volunteers, and other community partners to provide students and families with essential support like tutoring, food access, and health and wellness resources.

Families also need easy, practical, daily tips and local resources to make ends meet and help their kids stay on track. Many communities and nonprofits offer dedicated programs to keep children active and learning during the summer, such as summer art classes, creative writing workshops, and digital literacy tutoring at local libraries.

Accessing a community’s food network is also crucial. Families shouldn’t have to choose between nutritious food and other essentials. Help is available to ensure kids have the nutrition needed to thrive over the summer. While resources vary by community, examples include youth-serving organizations serving as open summer meal sites, city parks departments offering daily meal stations, and school districts offering summer meal programs.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.