Atlanta Public Schools might require summer program for some students

ATLANTA - Some Atlanta Public Schools students could be required to attend summer school.

The summer academic recovery academy would be a full school day schedule for students in Kindergarten through 12th-grade and run throughout all of June.

Students will have the option of learning in person or virtually.

This would be a three-year plan, meaning the program would take place every June through 2023.

Yolanda Brown, the district's Chief Academic Officer, is looking into whether or not the district is allowed to mandate summer school attendance for students who scored low on 2019 state assessments.

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Right now, the district estimates about 28,000 students will attend the summer program, based on their scores.

Those not required to attend would be given the option to take part.

"We are asking that all students come to academic recovery but we wanted to target, through the means of equity, the students who need it the most," Brown said.

This is to combat what Brown calls the COVID-19 slide. The summer program would help make up for learning that was lost during the transition to online learning during the start of the pandemic.

"We can all agree that opportunities have been lost," said Jason Esteves, APS board chair.

He said he would be on board with making the summer program mandatory for some students.

Dr. Lisa Herring, the district superintendent, said this program is also a part of their ongoing effort to make sure all students are able to perform to the best of their abilities.

"It is not just about the unfinished learning and what has happened to our children across all of our school but what was waiting for us to tackle when this administration transitioned," Dr. Herring said.

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Some board members have suggested expanding the program.

"I think there's such a need right now with the learning loss and I can say that as a mother, I would like to see a full summer," said Erika Mitchell, APS board member.

Board member Cynthia Briscoe Brown wanted to ensure the district finds ways to make the summer program a little more appealing to students who do not want their school year extended.

"I want to make sure that our kids know that this will not be a summer of drudgery, if we can find some ways we can communicate what kinds of arts programs or sports activities or free play times would be embedded in these days, I think that would be really important," she said.

The program will focus on math and literature, but it will also include mental and social support for the students.

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