INDIANAPOLIS — The United Way of Central Indiana and The Mind Trust are together investing around $500,000 in a summer learning initiative for students in Indianapolis.
The pandemic has taken a toll on student success as some families deal with e-learning challenges.
These organizations are working to combat that and make sure students are ready to move on to the next grade in the fall.
“It's been rough, the link doesn’t always work,” said Melissa Damm, an Indianapolis grandmother of four enrolled in e-learning. She worries her grandchildren are falling behind in school. “They’re not going to be anywhere remotely close to going onto the next grade, and that's frustrating. It's not just frustrating for me, but it's frustrating for them,” said Damm.
Her concerns are shared by numerous other parents and grandparents. Leaders with the United Way of Central Indiana say certain communities are being hit especially hard.
“Low income and children of color tend to be even more vulnerable to this because of things like having an environment that is conducive to learning at home, and things like really good connectivity for e-learning. We really want to do something that helps them regain that learning so they're ready to enter the next school year,” said Ann Murtlow, President and CEO of the United Way of Central Indiana.
That is why her organization is partnering with The Mind Trust to invest in a summer learning initiative. The goal is to build upon community learning sites already in place through The Mind Trust.
Final arrangements are still being made, but Murtlow explained her vision for the sites. “We do envision there will be a curriculum at that time, a curriculum that will be effective in advancing learning for these children, with a pre-assessment and post-assessment so we can actually measure the outcomes for those kids,” said Murtlow.
Their efforts will compliment work already happening in Indianapolis Public Schools and provide extra space and resources at no cost to families. “This is what we need to get them caught up or at least somewhat caught up before they go to the next grade,” said Damm.
WRTV will share more details about how to sign your child up when it becomes available.
