The Evolution of Summer Learning Labs

Summer Learning Labs (SLL) was launched in 2021 as a collaborative effort between The Mind Trust and the United Way of Central Indiana to address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and provide access to high-quality summer learning to students who need access the most. Since its inception, pre- and post-tests for the Labs have shown double-digit percentage point learning gains, with notable 2025 results including a 25 percentage point increase in overall English Language Arts (ELA) and a 24 percentage point increase in overall math scores.  Five years later, although in new circumstances, the program continues to thrive and has expanded into 37 cities across the state, with 145 sites serving over 12,000 students as of 2025.

2021: The Early Days

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, The Mind Trust (TMT) and United Way of Central Indiana (UWCI) announced a joint investment of $500,000 to launch Indy Summer Learning Labs (ISLL), a transformative five-week program designed to boost learning and enrichment for Marion County students. The program received an additional $11.1 million in implementation funding support from the Indiana Department of Education through the state’s Student Learning Recovery Grant program, created by lawmakers in response to the pandemic. The initiative was built on existing efforts, such as TMT’s Community Learning Sites (CLS), and UWCI’s long-standing partnerships with youth-serving community organizations to mitigate learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. UWCI was the fiscal agent for the initiative and, alongside TMT, convened education partners to participate in the execution of the programs.

A key partner from the beginning has been Lavinia Group, a K12 Coalition company. They are a world-class education management consultancy that has provided ISLL (and now SLL) with a customized math and literacy curriculum aligned to Indiana’s academic standards, as well as robust professional development featuring Lavinia Group’s signature methods of Intellectual Preparation and Student Work Study. Recognizing that the limited timeframe of summer required depth over breadth on the student-side, they drew on their core components—Close Reading, Novel Study, and Story Problems—which they knew were highly effective instructional blocks in reaching students. At the same time, they adapted the curriculum to align with research on accelerating learning. On the professional development side, they leaned heavily on weekly meetings that focused on using student work to drive instruction. Their goal was to flip the narrative, helping teachers identify what students could do and use that as a springboard for progress.

The Indy Summer Learning Labs in 2021 served over 3,000 students at 39 sites across central Indianapolis, most of whom were previously a part of CLS. The program was available both virtually and in person for the first year, even hiring virtual staff at sites. Similar to CLS, the goal of this initiative was to provide high-quality summer learning programming to students at no cost to their families. In its first year, Indy Summer Learning Labs results showed an average of a 20 percentage point increase in basic and proficient scores in ELA and a 27 percentage point increase in basic and proficient scores in math. 

In the second blog of our 20th anniversary celebration series, we spoke to Andrew Green, Assistant Executive Director at Shepherd Community Center, which has been a learning site for the Indy Summer Learning Labs since 2021. When the pandemic hit, Green and his team were focused on providing continuity for kids – ensuring a safe place for them to keep learning. “That’s why we were eager to partner with The Mind Trust so we could get some sites open where kids could learn safely,” Green said. “[Summer Learning Labs] really formalized the academic component of our summer programming, and helped take us to the next level.” 

2022: Refining and Tuning

In 2022, the goal was to reach more students while also refining and tuning the program. One of the most notable changes for 2022 ISLL staff was receiving training on trauma-informed care and culturally-responsive instruction. This change came from 2021 ISLL staff feedback on the program. 

Though not much changed in how it was run, enrollment significantly increased in the second year of ISLL from almost 3,000 students in 2021 to more than 5,000 students in 2022. Data continued to show solid learning gains with the average ELA and math scores growing 15 percentage points from beginning to end-of-program across all students. Similarly, a study from the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) analyzed learning growth data for students who attended programs funded by the Student Learning Recovery Grant administered by IDOE in 2021. They focused the study analysis on the rate of learning for students participating in the Indy Summer Learning Labs, which showed statistically significant gains in learning above pre-pandemic rates of learning. 

2023: Fully Offline

After feedback from both families and sites, the 2023 ISLL program moved to fully in-person learning. This marked the first year the program was offline following the pandemic. The new in-person year also emphasized the importance of clarity, communication, and guidance with all stakeholders, including partner organizations, teachers, families, and all internal teams working on the initiative. While UWCI was still a partner, TMT took on more responsibilities in logistical planning for the program.

With the help of the Lavinia Group, progress monitoring trackers were also implemented that aligned with curriculum exit tickets designed for the 2023 year. These tools allowed teachers to track student growth every week, making it easier to identify areas of strength, pinpoint gaps, and adjust instruction in real time, moving forward.

Indy Summer Learning Labs in 2023 served more than 5,500 students at more than 40 sites, including community centers, churches, and schools. Students who participated received high-quality, in-person math and reading instruction each day from licensed teachers. All sites also served breakfast and lunch, with some locations even providing before- and after-school care. Students were also able to have enrichment activities for the first time, which included arts and crafts, STEM, athletics, and field trips to Sky Zone, Bowling, skating rinks, swimming at the YMCA, The Indianapolis Zoo, The Children’s Museum, and much more. Even with these changes, SLL saw double-digit learning gains, over a 20 percentage point increase, in both math and reading for the third year in a row.

2024: Growing Impact Across the State

The biggest shifts happened in 2024. This was the year The Mind Trust began taking over more of the technical support, like informational webinars and dedicated training sessions for their partners in Indianapolis. Ownership became internal with UWCI moving away from the program, which created even more of a need for cohesiveness, alignment, and clarity to be established for partners, students, and families, along with implementing more processes and systems for different phases of the program with more accountability.

Thanks to the success seen through ISLL’s early years, the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) partnered with The Mind Trust to invest in the expansion of the program throughout the state. In early 2024, the IDOE announced the recipients of the Expanding What Works grant, an opportunity designed to increase access to high-quality summer programming for over 3,000 Hoosier students by funding replication of the ISLL model. The grant built on the success of ISLL in Marion County and replicated the program through four anchor partners in different cities across the state: Gary, Salem, South Bend, and Wabash. This expansion yielded the largest enrollment increase yet. Similar to ISLL, students at these Summer Learning Labs (SLL) sites received free or low-cost, rigorous, high-quality math and reading instruction each day to support continued student learning over the summer break, in addition to fun enrichment activities unique to each site. The Mind Trust led the expansion by overseeing the anchor partner selection process, providing technical assistance to partners throughout the program, and ensuring smooth data collection for continued monitoring of the success of the program. 

“The key is integrity of implementation rather than fidelity of implementation. We don’t expect the program to look identical from site to site, but there are a few research-based elements that must be consistently present. These core components—such as daily exposure to grade-level content, targeted scaffolds, and regular use of student work to inform instruction—ensure quality and impact, even as the program adapts to local contexts,” said Julia Pockros, Ed. D., Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships at Lavinia Group.

SLL in 2024 featured over 90 free and low-cost sites statewide that enrolled close to 9,000 students, making it one of the most extensive summer learning initiatives in Indiana. Notable 2024 results include a 26 percentage point increase in overall ELA scores and a 24 percentage point increase in math scores. Each anchor partner has years of experience supporting their respective communities, and they are each a community pillar in their own right. The anchor partners in 2024 included: Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor (BGCNIC) at BGC SLL, TMT at Indy SLL, Urban League of Northwest Indiana and DHB & Associates at Northwest SLL, Creating Avenues for Student Transformation (CAST) at Southeast SLL, and Wabash County YMCA at Wabash SLL.

Nancy Predmore, a Southeast SLL teacher in Salem, Indiana, noted the economic challenges faced by many families in their area. In a 2024 blog on Summer Learning Labs in rural areas, she shared how impactful this opportunity was for families, especially since this site was free. “Most of the kids I have wouldn’t be here if they had to pay for it,” she expressed. “We’re a low-income school system, and everyone at this elementary school gets free lunches. We’re looking at 60 percent or more qualifying for free or reduced lunch.”

2025: The Most Fruitful Year Yet

In 2025, the program served the most students it ever has. The biggest change came in the growth of state-wide learning labs, allowing us to serve more students.

“We heavily relied on survey data and feedback from families, educators, and site partners in 2024 to guide how we moved forward in 2025. The changes we made were directly shaped by what our community shared with us. Although the core of our program remains focused on academic learning acceleration, it has grown into so much more. Students are now engaging in learning experiences that extend beyond academics and into their futures, with some sites offering access and exposure to real-world opportunities,” said Jazmin Sanders, Senior Director of Innovative Learning at The Mind Trust.

SLL in 2025 featured 145 free and low-cost sites statewide that enrolled close to 12,000 students, which is over 50 more sites and more than 3,000 additional students served in 2025 compared to 2024. 2025 results include a 25 percentage point increase in overall ELA scores and a 24 percentage point increase in math scores. The anchor partners in 2024 all returned in 2025, with each of them entering their second year of the program, while ISLL entered its fifth year. 

2026+: Looking to the Future 

What once started as a response to a worldwide pandemic has only grown stronger and more expansive as the years go on. We are eager to continue creating access to high-quality summer learning and enrichment for every student. As we look into the future of the program, we now ask how we can allow a program of this magnitude to be expanded to year-round access to families. 

“It’s rewarding to see positive results for students year after year. The first year’s results were impressive. Now that we are in new places and reaching thousands more students, we are still seeing those strong results. The top priority for me in this work has, and always will be, for students to get what they need. Helping that happen through Summer Learning Labs is so fulfilling,” says Alli Vanneman, Director of Strategic Partnerships at The Mind Trust.