The National Summer Learning Association is the only national nonprofit dedicated to reversing the "summer slide,” or the loss of reading achievement that occurs when kids are out of the classroom for several months.
It's a fact that kids from low-wage families don't get the same summer enrichment as other kids. And it makes a difference. Kids from low-wage families lose two months worth of reading skills over the summer. And kids from all backgrounds slide back on math as well.
But it's not just academic achievement that suffers. Many kids don't get enough exercise or healthy food during the summer months. United Way and the National Summer Learning Association are shining the spotlight on this issue and potential solutions.
Together, we're creating summer solutions, working with partners like the YMCA, the YWCA, Salvation Army, Boys and Girls Clubs and other organizations that run summer programs.
See what's working in this report: Healthy Summers for Kids: Turning Risk into Opportunity.