Wilmington, DE — (August 28, 2025)
By Bernice Edwards and Michelle A. Taylor
Summer should be a season of growth, not loss. But for too many children in Delaware, especially in low-income communities, summer isn’t just a break; it can be a setback. In Delaware, 60% of third-grade students read below grade level; for low-income students, that number is over 75%. The “summer learning slide” is a major driver of the achievement gap, with low-income students losing months of progress during summer break. Programs like Freedom Schools and Get Delaware Reading Summer help reverse that gap by making summer a time for structured literacy enrichment. With federal funding for summer programs drying up, Delaware must increase funding so more students can attend these programs.
Rooted in the Civil Rights era and revitalized by the Children’s Defense Fund, Freedom Schools provide six-week, literacy-centered programs for elementary through middle school students. They offer high-quality academic enrichment, small classes, culturally relevant curricula and active family engagement. Research shows that participants not only improve their reading skills but also gain motivation, civic awareness and a stronger sense of identity and empowerment. In communities facing systemic inequities, Freedom Schools foster confidence, agency and a sense of belonging.
Here in Delaware, Get Delaware Reading Summer, powered by United Way of Delaware and a network of community partners, including First State Community Action Agency, delivers literacy gains through a proven formula: adaptive tutoring technology (BookNook), one-on-one and small-group support and trusted, community-based learning spaces. In 2024, the program reached 1,900 students across 52 sites statewide, earning statewide and national recognition, including being named a national Campaign for Grade-Level Reading “Pacesetter.”
Why these programs matter for Delaware’s students
These programs are vital for several reasons:
- Stopping the summer slide: Without intervention, reading skills decline over summer, causing children to fall further behind when school begins. These programs are designed to prevent that loss through evidence-based, engaging instruction.
- Affirming identity: Freedom Schools utilize culturally sustaining curricula; Get Delaware Reading Summer programs operate through familiar, trusted venues to connect learning with community pride.
- Building relationships: Small groups and dedicated tutors turn reading from a chore into a joy, boosting long-term academic confidence.
- Mobilizing families and communities in collective action:Both models involve parents, schools, nonprofits, and public agencies working together to support children’s success.
- Advancing equity: Freedom Schools began as a Civil Rights-era response to educational injustice; today, both programs continue to serve as a beacon for fair opportunity.
Our success depends on collective action, with partners, policymakers, donors, educators and community members working together to expand these models and reach every child who needs them. Financial resources are a critical part of the equation.
Illinois recently made a historic, $17 million investment in Freedom Schools statewide. Delaware has the talent, partnerships and proven models to do the same. Strategic funding for programs like Get Delaware Reading Summer and Freedom Schools is not just an educational initiative; it’s an investment in our state’s children and our future workforce. Let’s invest boldly, together.
Bernice Edwards is executive director of First State Community Action Agency and Michelle A. Taylor, Ed.D., is president and CEO of the United Way of Delaware.
View this article at Delaware Online: https://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/2025/08/28/delaware-students-can-conquer-the-summer-slide-opinion/85832140007/
