NYC Revamps Summer School, Camp In New Open-To-All Program

NEW YORK CITY — A new, free program for New York City's public school students will combine summer school and summer camp.

The program — Summer Rising — starts this year and, unlike other summer offerings, aims to cater all K-12 students, Mayor Bill de Blasio said Tuesday.

"This ends summer school as we knew it," he said. "This is something new this is literally for every child who wants to participate. Doesn't matter if you've had challenges in school or you're doing great in schools — you are welcome this summer."

The city's Department of Education will jointly run the program with the Department of Youth & Community Development.

The pairing puts together the DOE's academic, remedial summer school offerings with the DYCD's summer camps.

De Blasio promised a full program of academics but also enrichment, culture and recreation. He said the slate will help children recover from the disruptions of the coronavirus pandemic.

"I want emphasize it is open to all our public school students — all — and it is free," he said.

Schools will offer programs in four time frames, officials said.

Grades K-5 will have an all-day, seven-week program running five days per week from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. between July 6 to Aug. 20.

Grades 6 through 8 will have a six-week program four days per week from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. between July 6 to Aug. 12.

High school students needing to participate in academic instruction will have that from July 6 to Aug. 13. They'll also have opportunities to participate in different courses, social emotional supports and arts programs, as well as the Summer Youth Employment Program.

And students under Individualized Education Program — IEP — will have summer programs five days a week from July 2 to Aug. 13.

Chancellor Meisha Ross Porter called it a "holistic" summer experience for students.

"We are embarking on an unprecedented reimagining of what summer needs to be for our children and our school communities," she said.

De Blasio said school officials aim to enroll 200,000 students or more in the program, which carries a $120 million price tag.

“This will hopefully will take a lot of stress out of parents’ lives just knowing they’ve got a safe positive place for the kids to be this summer,” he said.

Applications for the program begin April 26 for K-8 students.