The school year may be coming to a close, but thousands of Boston students will continue their education in the district's 5th Quarter summer learning program, which has grown rapidly in recent years from just a couple hundred students to thousands.
Wil Cardwell, director of summer learning for Boston After School and Beyond, said on Greater Boston that the program combines academics with enrichment activities to bring some summer fun into the mix. Summer learning programs are aimed at closing opportunity and achievement gaps.
The 5th Quarter program recently partnered with the Office of Special Education to service students of all needs. Roxann Harvey, chair of BPS’ Special Education Council, said many families had concerns about whether the program would be able to appropriately accomodate the needs of special education students.
"A lot of us want our children to be completely included in all city resources and to be a part of it, but we know that means programs have to be ready," Harvey said.
Cardwell said his team worked on examining these needs and finding the necessary resources such as paraprofessionals, accessible buildings, speech therapists and more.
"As we work towards a more inclusive model and ensure all young people have access, we've been really trying to make sure we incorporate that feedback," Cardwell.
Cardwell said interested families can enroll online or reach out to him or the district directly.
Watch: ‘There’s still a lot of work to be done’: Boston works to expand access to summer learning programs
