Bill Overview
Title: Summer Meals and Learning Act of 2022
Description: 22 This bill directs the Department of Education to award grants to state library administrative agencies to enable them to award subgrants to eligible local educational agencies for summer early reading programs held at schools with a summer lunch site.
Sponsors: Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25]
Target Audience
Population: Children in summer reading programs
Estimated Size: 1000000
- The bill targets early reading programs, which typically focus on young children, specifically those in elementary school.
- Summer lunch sites usually cater to children from low-income families, suggesting the programs might focus on disadvantaged children.
- The grants are to be awarded by state library administrative agencies, indicating a focus on library and educational resources.
- Participation is likely limited to schools with existing summer lunch sites.
- This program would directly impact children participating in summer reading programs and indirectly impact their families.
Reasoning
- The target demographic largely consists of children from low-income families who have access to summer lunch programs, indicating that they are often located in rural or underserved urban areas.
- The budget constraints necessitate a focus on a limited number of these programs, implying not every eligible school will receive funding initially.
- The policy focus on early reading can be expected to improve educational outcomes, which can lead to longer-term increases in wellbeing due to better educational attainment.
- Those children who do not participate in these specific programs for various reasons are not directly impacted, though there might be secondary benefits on community resources.
- The impact varies from high among directly participating children and families, to none or low outside this immediate group.
Simulated Interviews
Student (Rural Mississippi)
Age: 7 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I love going to school for lunch because I get to eat with my friends.
- I want to learn to read better so I can read comics and play games.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Student (Inner-city Chicago)
Age: 8 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I like going to the library in the summer, but it's hard to get there sometimes.
- Reading more would help me do better next year in school.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Teacher (Suburban Texas)
Age: 30 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm hopeful this program can help bridge reading gaps I've seen among my students.
- Additional resources would allow us to reach more students.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Student (Rural West Virginia)
Age: 10 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 6/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If I could go to a library program nearby, I could meet other kids and learn from books I don't have.
- I love reading whatever books I can get.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 4 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 5 |
Student (Urban New York)
Age: 12 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 1.0 years
Commonness: 14/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I want to keep improving my reading. New programs can keep me occupied in the summer.
- I hope this will bring more activities for my friends who don't have computers at home.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Librarian (Rural Nevada)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 18/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Library resources are limited, and this program could help us get more books and teachers for the kids.
- It will be a challenge to organize logistics on a tight budget.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
School Administrator (Urban Los Angeles)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- These grants could enable great partnerships between schools and libraries for summer learning.
- However, the funding is limited, and many schools may not benefit yet.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Student (Rural Alabama)
Age: 9 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 16/20
Statement of Opinion:
- An opportunity like this could mean more books and fun activities in summer.
- I often miss out on library events because they are too far away.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Student (Urban Detroit)
Age: 11 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Programs like these often help kids like me catch up with classmates.
- I want to learn better ways to read so I can understand my class materials more.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Parent (Suburban Oregon)
Age: 41 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 2.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This could alleviate some stress over summer, ensuring my kids remain academically engaged.
- I am concerned that some children will still miss out if there aren't enough slots for everyone.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $1000000 (Low: $750000, High: $1250000)
Year 2: $1025000 (Low: $775000, High: $1287500)
Year 3: $1050625 (Low: $796875, High: $1324687)
Year 5: $1106760 (Low: $839220, High: $1393400)
Year 10: $1220099 (Low: $924075, High: $1530100)
Year 100: $1812586 (Low: $1373040, High: $2274382)
Key Considerations
- The program may take several years to show measurable improvements in literacy rates among target populations.
- Consider potential overlap and integration with existing educational and nutritional aid programs.
- The effectiveness of the program relies heavily on the capacity and effectiveness of local implementation.