February 25, 2022 3:30 a.m.
Legislative leaders, led by Senate President Peter Courtney and Senator Michael Dembrow, have announced a $150 million Summer Learning Package, to keep Oregon kids learning and active over the summer months.
Courtney said, “We have to be aggressive about education. Our children have really been affected by this pandemic. We pushed hard for summer learning last year. Parents and teachers told us it had a big effect on kids. Summer learning has to become permanent”.
Courtney said, “This is a big step forward for our students…but we can’t stop here. The year-round school has got to come”.
A release from the Office of the Senate President said Oregon lawmakers passed a historic Summer Learning and Child Care Package during the 2021 legislative session, investing over $200 million in summer school, enrichment activities, and community programs.
The investment from that package made it possible for school districts across 35 of Oregon’s 36 counties to create nearly 6,000 new summer programs, allowing 89,000 more K-12 students to participate in summer learning and activities than in previous years.
The 2022 Summer Learning Package allows school districts and community organizations to continue these programs and ensure Oregon’s kids can keep learning, growing and staying active over the summer.
Summer K-8 Enrichment Grants will allow school districts to fund new and existing activities like robotics, dance, art, music and outdoor programs. Funds would also go to Academic Learning and Readiness Supports like summer school, tutoring, kindergarten transition programs and more. Social-Emotional and Mental Health services will receive funds as well.
Summer funding will help schools to offer summer programs helping students recover or acquire new academic credits to stay on track for graduation.
The release said Summer Community Activity Grants will deliver community grants through the Oregon Community Foundation. Those will support new and existing summer enrichment activities for K-12 kids like day camps, park programs and tutoring.
Additional information about this package will be available during the final week of the current legislative session.