New Study: Despite Small, Steady Increases in Latinx Students Attending Summer Learning Programs, Latinx Children's Participation Now Lags Behind Other Groups

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WASHINGTON, June 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The summer of 2021 will be vitally important, as students and families try to recover from the isolation, trauma, and learning loss the pandemic caused. Yet a new study that looks in-depth at summer learning in 2019 and 2020 finds that Latinx student participation in programs remains low, despite some recent growth and remarkably high parent satisfaction. Just 44% of Latinx families with children report that their child was involved in a summer learning program in 2019 – an increase from 39% in 2013 and 29% in 2008. But while 2.7 million Latinx children took part in a structured summer experience in 2019, nearly 4.4 million more would have been enrolled if a program were available to them, their parents said.

Those are among the findings from Summertime in America for Latinx Families and Communities, a household survey released today. Commissioned by the Afterschool Alliance and conducted by Edge Research, it finds that 47% of families overall report at least one of their children participated in a summer program in 2019, compared to just 44% of Latinx students.

Then in 2020, participation in summer programs dropped further, as the pandemic upended education and work and family life. Just 28% of Latinx families report that their child participated in a structured summer experience last year, compared to 34% of families overall. More than half of Latinx students in a program last year (56%) participated virtually. A structured summer experience is defined in the study to include a summer learning program, sports program, summer camp, summer school, or summer job or internship – different from childcare.

"More than ever, our kids need academic help, social/emotional support, and opportunities to engage with peers and caring adults, be physically active, and have fun," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. "We must do better by giving all students access to the summer learning programs they need. Cost and transportation should not remain barriers to participation. This summer, we have a responsibility to meet the need for Latinx youth as we work to meet the needs of all children and youth."

Read the full release at http://www.afterschoolalliance.org/press_archives/AA3PM-2020/Latinx-Communities-AA3PM-Summer-2021-NR.pdf.

SOURCE Afterschool Alliance