This week, Domestic Policy Advisor Neera Tanden and U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education Cindy Marten hosted a Summer Learning Convening at the White House as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Improving Student Achievement Agenda focused on improving academic performance for every child in schools through the adoption of three evidence-based strategies: (1) increasing student attendance; (2) providing high-dosage tutoring; and (3) increasing summer learning and extended or afterschool learning time.

This convening provided an opportunity to hear from representatives from the National League of Cities, Tuscaloosa, AL and Rochester, NY on their collaborative efforts to increase access to high-quality summer learning programs as a key strategy to increase student achievement. The Tuscaloosa City Schools Summer Program is an early champion of summer learning heading into its fourth year with 19 programs that serve 3,000 students. The Rochester City School District worked with community partners to establish 30 summer programs, such as a program at St. John Fisher University which provided learning support to over 5,000 students.

This convening comes on the heels of the Biden-Harris Administration Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request, which proposes $8 billion in new mandatory funding for Academic Acceleration and Achievement Grants to support student success across States and districts and the Department of Education’s recently launched Engage Every Student Recognition program to spotlight high quality summer learning and afterschool programs across the nation that are improving academic and other outcomes for children and youth.

Participants in the convening included:

Neera Tanden, Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council
Cindy Marten, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Education
Simeon Banister, President & CEO, Rochester Area Community Foundation
Dr. Elfreda Massie, Director of Education and Expanded Learning at the National League of Cities
Dr. Andrew Maxey, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Tuscaloosa City Schools
Dr. Carmine Peluso, Superintendent Rochester City School, NY
Liliana Ruiz, Director of Special Projects, Office of the Mayor of Rochester NY
Dr. Daniela Susnara, Director of Planning and Assessment for Community Engagement in the University of Alabama’s Center for Community-Based Partnerships
Kim Turner, President & CEO, Boys and Girls Club, West Alabama

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