III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 268 

Designating July 12, 2007, as ‘‘National Summer Learning Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JULY 11, 2007 

Mr. OBAMA (for himself, Mr. ISAKSON, Ms. MIKULSKI, Mr. BUNNING, and 

Mr. SANDERS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Designating July 12, 2007, as ‘‘National Summer Learning 

Day’’. 

Whereas all students experience a measurable loss of mathematics and reading skills when they do not engage in 

educational activities during the summer months; 

Whereas summer learning loss is greatest for low-income children, who often lack the academic enrichment opportunities available to their more affluent peers; 

Whereas recent research indicates that 2⁄3 of the achievement 

gap between low-income children and their more affluent 

peers can be explained by unequal access to summer 

learning opportunities, which results in low-income youth 

being less likely to graduate from high school or enter 

college; 


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•SRES 268 IS 

Whereas recent surveys indicate that low-income parents have 

considerable difficulty finding available summer opportunities for their children; 

Whereas structured enrichment and education programs are 

proven to accelerate learning for students who participate 

in such programs for several weeks during the summer; 

Whereas students who participate in the Building Educated 

Leaders for Life (‘‘BELL’’) summer programs gain several months’ worth of reading and mathematics skills 

through summer enrichment, and students who regularly 

attend the Teach Baltimore Summer Academy for 2 summers are 1⁄2 year ahead of their peers in reading skills; 

Whereas thousands of students in similar programs make 

measurable gains in academic achievement; 

Whereas recent research demonstrates that most children, 

particularly children at high risk of obesity, gain weight 

more rapidly when they are out of school during the summer; 

Whereas Summer Learning Day is designed to highlight the 

need for more young people to be engaged in summer 

learning activities and to support local summer programs 

that benefit children, families, and communities; 

Whereas a wide array of schools, public agencies, nonprofit 

organizations, universities, museums, libraries, and summer camps in many States across the United States, will 

celebrate annual Summer Learning Day on July 12, 

2007: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) designates July 12, 2007, as ‘‘National 

3 Summer Learning Day’’, in order to raise public 


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•SRES 268 IS 

1 awareness about the positive impact of summer 

2 learning opportunities on the development and edu3 cational success of the children of our Nation; 

4 (2) urges the people of the United States to 

5 promote summer learning activities, in order to send 

6 young people back to school ready to learn, to sup7 port working parents and their children, and to keep 

8 the children of our Nation safe and healthy during 

9 the summer months; and 

10 (3) urges communities to celebrate, with appro11 priate ceremonies and activities, the importance of 

12 high quality summer learning opportunities in the 

13 lives of young students and their families. 

Æ 


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