New National Study Finds Summer Boost Accelerates Learning for Second Consecutive Year

MGT, Arizona State University, and Harvard University researchers confirm the effectiveness of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Summer Boost program across multiple cities and years, signaling durable impact at scale

New York, NY — Bloomberg Philanthropies today announced the results of a second annual report on the impact of Summer Boost, revealing significant academic improvements among participating students. Originally launched in New York City in 2022 in response to COVID learning loss, Summer Boost is a five-week summer school program that has expanded to support rising 1st through 9th grade students in select cities across the nation to accelerate learning and drive academic recovery. This year, Summer Boost is taking place at 457 public charter schools in seven U.S. cities: Baltimore, MD; Birmingham, AL; Memphis, TN; Nashville, TN; New York, NY; San Antonio, TX; and Washington, D.C. Since its launch, Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested $300 million into Summer Boost programs across the country.

The study conducted by MGT, a research firm focused on improving outcomes for children, and Dr. Geoffrey Borman of Arizona State University, with contributions from researchers at Harvard University, analyzed academic outcomes for approximately 35,000 public charter school students who participated in Summer Boost during summer 2024. Results show statistically significant impact in both math and English Language Arts (ELA) compared to peers who did not attend the program.

To measure how much students benefited from Summer Boost, researchers used a method that looks at how students were expected to improve based on their past performance and background. They then compared that to how much they actually improved. MGT’s analysis found that students who participated in the program did better than students who did not participate in the program, and the extra progress could be credited to Summer Boost. On average, Summer Boost students gained approximately five additional weeks of math learning and two additional weeks of ELA learning.

Upon reviewing two years of data, this year’s evaluation suggests the program’s impact is durable and replicable, a notable outcome for large-scale education interventions. With academic recovery still a national concern, Summer Boost offers a scalable solution to helping students succeed.

“This data makes clear what we’ve known for a long time: when students get top-notch teaching and targeted support during the summer, they can get back on track for success. Four years in, we’ve expanded the program to serve even more schools – so more students finish summer stronger than they started,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

“Few school-based programs have such substantial and replicable effects at this scale. These positive results over multiple years for tens of thousands of students are highly important,” said researcher Geoffrey Borman from Arizona State University.

Key Findings from the 2024 Evaluation Include:

• Summer Boost is the largest study on summer learning to show a cumulative, two-year impact: students who participated in Summer Boost two years in a row gained even more weeks of learning than students who participated in just one year of the program.
• On average, Summer Boost students gained approximately five additional weeks of math learning and two additional weeks of ELA learning, compared to students who did not participate in Summer Boost. Math skills are less likely to be reinforced outside of the classroom during the summer, making students more susceptible to learning loss in this subject. As a result, targeted academic interventions like Summer Boost can have a particularly strong impact on math achievement. In contrast, literacy skills—such as reading and writing—are more frequently supported through informal activities at home, helping students maintain performance even without formal instruction.
• In 2024, the average attendance rate across Summer Boost sites was 79%, higher than the average rate of attendance for summer learning programs, and students attending at least 70% of the program saw the most significant improvements—underscoring how sustained participation drives better results.
• The positive impacts of Summer Boost are relatively consistent across all participating cities and students.

Persistent Learning Challenges Highlight Need for Summer Programs:

Originally launched in 2022 to address COVID-related learning loss, Summer Boost was designed as a five-week summer school program to help students advance in English Language Arts (ELA) and math while also participating in engaging enrichment activities. Since then, it has evolved into a long-term strategy to help students accelerate academic progress and support continued learning.

This challenge remains pressing today. Recent findings from the Educational Recovery Scorecard reveal that academic performance nationwide has yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. In some cases, scores have declined further since 2022. While some districts are showing signs of improvement— including many where Summer Boost operates — many continue to face academic challenges. The three-month summer break can compound these difficulties. Research has consistently shown that math and ELA achievement tends to decline or “flatten” across all grade levels during summer months when students are out of school, reinforcing the importance of programs like Summer Boost. Findings from a November 2024- January 2025 web survey of U.S. K-12 superintendents, conducted by Gallup for the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) and The School Superintendents Association (AASA), revealed that 91% consider summer learning programs essential for achieving their district’s goals.

“Summer is the most unequal and underutilized time of year educationally. The continued evidence of academic growth from Summer Boost underscores the value of investing in high-quality summer learning. I hope this encourages more districts to expand and sustain these kinds of opportunities,” said Professor Tom Kane from Harvard University.

This year’s report adds to growing evidence that proven academic interventions, such as well-designed summer programs, can be a vital tool for accelerating student learning and supporting sustained academic growth.

“Summer Boost has been incredibly important to our school. It allows us to provide additional remediation of skills to our scholars in kindergarten through 8th grade so that they are better prepared for the upcoming school year. It allows us to provide high quality instructional support to those who need it most in our school community,” said Ashish Kapadia, Executive Director and CQA Parent, Central Queens Academy Charter School. “Because of Summer Boost, the vast majority of our scholars are able to start a school year on grade level in literacy and math. Further, because of Summer Boost, we can provide opportunities for some of our strongest middle school scholars to get ahead so that they are better prepared for the math and science Regents Exams they will take before leaving middle school.”

“Summer Boost is transforming summer learning for Nashville and Memphis charter schools by ensuring students don’t lose ground when the classroom doors close for the summer,” said David Mansouri, President and CEO of the Tennessee State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE). “We’ve seen firsthand how this program helps students return to school better prepared, more confident, and ready to take on the year ahead. Its continued success across multiple cities shows that Summer Boost is more than a seasonal intervention—it’s a scalable model for accelerating learning and closing academic gaps.”

In Summer 2025, Summer Boost has received generous support from the George W. Brackenridge Foundation, The Carson Family Charitable Trust, City Education Partners, Choose to Succeed, Joe C. Davis Foundation, The Ewing Halsell Foundation, Hyde Family Foundation, The Pyramid Peak Foundation, Robin Hood, and the Scarlett Family Foundation.

For more information and to access the complete study, please visit summerboost.org.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.

Media Contact:
Sneha Choudhary, Bloomberg Philanthropies, snehac@bloomberg.org