Our Projects
Summer Learning Program Evaluation in Pittsburgh
The Challenge
In 2023–25, Pittsburgh Public Schools, a mid-sized urban district in Pennsylvania with about 18,000 students, asked whether Summer B.O.O.S.T., its free five-week program combining morning academics with afternoon enrichment, was meeting its goals and how to improve it.
The long-standing program ran at three sites, serving students who had just finished Kindergarten through Grade 7, with certified teachers leading math and reading blocks and community providers leading enrichment. Leaders wanted evidence of effectiveness to guide decisions about its future.
Our Support
Gibson Consulting Group, with the University of Southern California and the University of Pittsburgh's Office of Child Development, evaluated the summers of 2023 and 2024, pairing a quasi-experimental outcomes study with site visits, surveys, and a cost analysis.
Outcomes study. The University of Southern California team used propensity score weighting to compare participants with similar district students who did not attend, on fall math and reading benchmarks, and, with more complete though still imperfect 2024 records, by the number of days attended.
Site visits. The University of Pittsburgh team rated 127 classroom activities over six days in 2024, held focus groups with staff and students, and interviewed district staff.
Costs. Gibson calculated cost per student for both summers.
Gibson's project lead was Jennifer McMurrer.
Results
In both summers, participants' fall math and reading scores were comparable to those of similar students who did not attend.
In 2024, students who attended almost all days gained 9 scale points (0.06 standard deviations) more in math by fall than similar non-participants, significant only at the 10% level. Reading showed no positive effect at any attendance level.
Observed classes averaged 11.6 students against a target of 30.
Observers rated activities from 4.7 for organization to 2.8 for analytic thinking on a seven-point scale.
Cost per enrolled participant was $1,698 in 2024, and total spending fell $180,197 from 2023.
For your district. A district funding a summer program can use an evaluation of this kind to set attendance policy, staffing levels, and instructional priorities for the next summer.