Acting Commissioner Allen-McMillan offers congratulations and continued support in an open letter to New Jersey’s Educators.   

It is well-documented that students often begin the academic year at achievement levels lower than when they left school the prior year, a gap known as the “summer slide.” Current projections show that there will likely be even greater gaps in student achievement at the beginning of the 2021-2022 school year due to the extended closure of schools for in-person instruction necessitated by the COVID-19 public health emergency.  As a result, LEAs are strongly encouraged to continue and expand planning for both remedial and accelerated summer learning opportunities using the tools, resources, and approaches available in each of the categories below.  Recent evidence suggests that expanding summer learning to provide students with rigorous opportunities to preview and practice knowledge and skills aligned to upcoming grade-level standards is effective in bolstering student achievement.  Likewise, providing social and emotional learning supports for students can remove barriers and yield benefits that correspond to successful academic outcomes.  The NJDOE encourages LEAs to dedicate summer months to addressing disruptions in student learning and ensuring that students with the highest degree of need receive the resources they need to succeed. 

With respect to health and safety protocols, districts are encouraged to continue consulting with their local health departments to ensure that all summer programming conforms with the most recent New Jersey Department of Health COVID-19 Public Health Recommendations for Local Health Departments for K-12 Schools.  Additionally, the following principles should guide the LEAs approach to summer learning.