Summer school pros and cons

Dear reader,

The lingering days of August fill me with nostalgia, marking a definitive end to summer. Yet my favorite season is gaining new meaning in education, as Hechinger Report stories from various parts of the U.S. show us this week. In Minnesota, Jon Marcus introduces us to college students taking extra classes all summer, while spending 12 hours a week in paid internships so they can shorten the traditional time to a bachelor’s degree from four years to three.

Proof Points columnist Jill Barshay explains research behind the disappointing results from post-pandemic summer school catch-up attempt in eight large school districts around the nation. And Caroline Preston tells us about students who are spending this month learning everything they can about climate change, taking steps to help prevent the heat waves, wildfires, floods and other disasters that have increasingly become part of all of our lives.

Also, in case you missed it, intern Alivia Welch looks at a weeklong camp in Mississippi hit the aimed at helping third graders pass a gateway literacy test that determines promotion to fourth grade. As always, we want to hear what you think as summer winds down. Also, please remind others to sign up for our free newsletters and become a member.

Liz Willen , Editor

Main idea:

Spending summer in class means these students will be done in three years As consumers chafe at the time it takes to earn a degree, some colleges are speeding it up

Story list:

PROOF POINTS: Summer school programs too short and not popular enough to reverse pandemic learning loss, researchers say

Extended-day programs that doubled as free child care lured families but were too expensive to continue

OPINION: The charade of ‘test-optional’ admissions

How colleges’ decisions to scrap mandatory admissions tests is hurting low-income kids and intensifying inequality

OPINION: You can’t teach psychology without covering gender and sexuality, and you can’t teach history without covering racism

We cannot sit back and let politicians prevent our young people from learning the truth in their classrooms

Activist students go to summer camp to learn how to institute a ‘green new deal’ on their campuses

A new campaign from the youth-led Sunrise Movement calls for pathways to green jobs, lower-emission school buildings and interdisciplinary school curriculum

OPINION: Tackling research projects can help students get into top colleges and universities

Research opportunities are a great way to demonstrate intellectual passion and potential, but high costs leave some behind