FAQs

About Summer Discovery

Please note: In order to make a copy of Google documents linked throughout the FAQ, you must be logged into a Google account. If you are unable to access any of the documents, please email [email protected] for help.

I. What is Summer Discovery?

Ballmer Group is making an investment in summer enrichment for students in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb Counties.

We know from parents and community leaders that not enough summer enrichment programs exist for students in Southeast Michigan, and we know that barriers such as transportation and cost prevent parents from enrolling their children, even if spots are available. We also know that Michigan parents report that afterschool and summer programs help them keep their jobs, build connections to their children’s education, and keep their children safe and engaged in learning. However, parents also report that there are not enough programs to serve students.

Summer Discovery is a regional effort designed for students and families in Southeast Michigan, where many students need more access to learning and activity opportunities during the summer break. We believe in equitable access to safe, quality out-of-school-time (OST) programs that grow academic outcomes, offer enrichment activities that increase career exposure and interest, engage families, and deepen community support for afterschool and summer programs. We believe that ALL kids in Michigan deserve opportunities to succeed in school and to dream big about their futures.

Launched for the first time ahead of Summer 2024, Summer Discovery provided traditional schools, charter schools, and select Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) with the opportunity to apply for funding to provide instruction and enrichment activities in the summer of 2024. In its first year, Summer Discovery funded summer programming for ~16,500 students across the Tri-County area. Ballmer Group is pleased to continue to offer Summer Discovery this summer.

II. Will Summer Discovery continue in future years?

While applicants will be required to apply for funds annually, Ballmer Group intends for this to be a multi-year grant/program and is committed to an initial three years of funding to support the initiative: Summer 2024, Summer 2025, and Summer 2026. We hope this investment will catalyze and encourage more OST programming across Michigan.

III. What’s different about the Summer Discovery program model this year?

Based on known best practices for summer learning, the core Summer Discovery program requirements remain largely the same as the 2024 requirements.

That said, some adjustments have been made; see below for Summer Discovery 2025 updates.

Half-day programs funded for Rising 9th graders: To allow for greater flexibility and to respond to needs we have heard, grantees may apply for a half-day program (5+ hours) for students entering 9th grade only. A minimum of three hours of instruction (math and/or ELA) must be provided. You will be asked for details in the application.
Student-to-Teacher Ratio update: Due to Michigan state child care licensing requirements, programs must ensure a student-to-teacher ratio of no more than 18:1.
Enrollment Check process: Because funding is tied to enrollment, the enrollment check deadlines have been moved closer to your summer program’s beginning date. This allows grantees more time to predict the actual number of students who will enroll in the summer program (see “Grant Funding Details” section of this FAQ).
Adjustments to technology platforms: We have adopted a new assessment platform and a new grants management platform. We hope these platforms are user-friendly so that grantees can focus primarily on planning for and executing summer programs.
Licensing requirements: The State of Michigan requires providers who care for children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day unattended by a parent or legal guardian for more than two consecutive weeks to obtain a Child Care Center License. This year, the State is requiring out-of-school providers that fit the description for Child Care licensing to be in compliance with the rule. All grantees must show proof of appropriate licensure prior to the first day of summer programming.
- Applicants may include costs associated with obtaining a license in their Summer Discovery budget which will be submitted at the time of application.
- Licenses are issued to a specific person or organization at a specific location. Partners/schools that operate multiple sites will need to be licensed at each location.
- Child Care licensing ensures that providers are in safe spaces and use quality, background-checked, and fingerprinted staff to provide care and programming.

Active licenses, their type, and student capacity can be found by using the Statewide Facility Search database. More details about resources can be found here.

IV. If my site is selected, what’s next?

The funders of this initiative have engaged Building Impact Partners to serve as the program manager and United Way for Southeastern Michigan to serve as the fiscal sponsor and local implementation partner of Summer Discovery. In partnership with Building Impact Partners, United Way for Southeastern Michigan will lead all grant agreements and financial monitoring.

Applicants and grantees will be supported by a team of program officers at Building Impact Partners for the duration of the grant period. Program officers are available to answer questions throughout the application process and will follow up with you if any additional information is needed to process your application. Throughout the grant period, support for accepted grantees will include meetings, optional workshops, email blasts with upcoming dates and announcements, and select site visits. Your program officer is also available as a resource throughout the summer and during the grant reporting process (See “Reporting & Data Collection” section of this FAQ).

Program Requirements

I. What are the program requirements?

Summer Discovery aims to allow grantees flexibility to design programs that meet the needs and cater to the interests of their students, teachers, and families. Schools can choose to use the Lavinia RISE curriculum (see “Lavinia RISE Curriculum” section of this FAQ) or select their own curriculum and may use grant funding to fund new programming or enhance existing programming.

The grant opportunity provides up to $2,000 per student for sites to design and implement high-quality summer learning programs for students completing grades K-8 in spring 2025 (Rising 1st – Rising 9th graders). In line with the existing body of research on effective summer programming, all programs must:

Provide Summer Discovery Programming at no cost to families
Serve Rising 1st – Rising 9th graders (students entering 1st through 9th grades) in Macomb, Wayne, and Oakland Counties
Provide at least 20 days of summer instruction (excludes assessment-only or enrichment-only days)
Provide an average of three hours of high-quality English Language Arts (ELA) AND math instruction over at least 20 days
Provide care for students for 8+ hours/day* (may include before- and/or after-care), including both academics and enrichment
Ensure a student-to-teacher ratio of no more than 18:1
Hire teachers who are qualified to provide ELA and math academic instruction during the school year (For invited Community-Based Organizations, math and ELA educators should be current teachers, former teachers, or those pursuing a teaching license.)
Utilize family engagement strategies, including regular touchpoints with families throughout the summer
Administer standardized pre- and post-assessments provided by Summer Discovery, along with student pre- and post- surveys
Conduct in-person instruction and enrichment
Track and report on student enrollment and attendance
Complete all reporting requirements (see “Reporting & Data Collection” section in this FAQ)

*(Please note the option for half-day programming for Rising 9th graders in “What’s different about the Summer Discovery program model this year?” above.)

Eligibility Criteria

I. Who is eligible?

Any charter school, traditional school, or invited Community-Based Organization that meets the following criteria is eligible for grant funding:

Conduct in-person instruction and enrichment
Serve at least 50% free lunch population
Serve students who attend school in Wayne, Macomb, or Oakland County
Serve students who are Rising 1st – Rising 9th graders (students entering 1st-9th grade)
Show proof of appropriate licensure prior to the first day of summer programming

Note on CBO eligibility: Unsolicited applications from Community-Based Organizations who have not been invited by Ballmer Group to apply as a lead applicant will not be reviewed or accepted. If you are a Community-Based Organization and believe you have met the required eligibility criteria and are interested in applying as a lead applicant, email [email protected] to request a Letter of Intent form. All Letter of Intent forms must be submitted by 1/10/25 for consideration. A Letter of Intent does not guarantee grant funding; the Summer Discovery team will review your materials and be in touch about whether you will be invited to apply by 1/17/25. CBOs who are invited to submit an application will need to submit by 1/31/25. In addition to the above criteria, CBOs must have access to a physical location and must have previously run a summer program. Grant funding may only be used for students who attend school in the Tri-County region.

II. What or who is not eligible for funding?

Funding is not available for:

Virtual programming: Funding is available for in-person instruction and enrichment only.
Students entering kindergarten and students in Rising 10th-12th grades: Funding is only available for Rising 1st – Rising 9th graders (students entering 1st-9th grade).
Unsolicited proposals from Community-Based Organizations: Unsolicited applications from Community-Based Organizations who have not been invited by Ballmer Group to apply as a lead applicant will not be reviewed or accepted. If you are a Community-Based Organization and believe you have met the required eligibility criteria (see “Eligibility Criteria” above) and are interested in applying as a lead applicant, email [email protected] to request a Letter of Intent form. All Letter of Intent forms must be submitted by 1/10/25 for consideration. A Letter of Intent does not guarantee grant funding; the Summer Discovery team will review your materials and be in touch about whether you will be invited to apply by 1/17/25. CBOs who are invited to submit an application will need to submit by 1/31/25. In addition to the criteria listed in “Eligibility Criteria,” CBOs must have access to a physical location and must have previously run a summer program. Grant funding may only be used for students who attend school in the Tri-County region.

III. Who can apply?

Individual traditional public schools or individual charter schools in Wayne, Oakland, or Macomb Counties that meet the eligibility criteria outlined in the application materials.
- Individual traditional public school: To ensure proper contracting and payment, district-level information, including an acknowledgement of partnership, will be required.
- Individual charter school: To ensure proper contracting and payment, an individual charter school whose legal entity is a Charter Management Organization (CMO), will be required to include CMO-level information, including an acknowledgement of partnership, in their application.
Community-Based Organizations (CBOs): CBOs who have been invited to participate in Summer Discovery may apply. If you are a CBO interested in learning more about the grant, see “Who is eligible?” question above for more details.

IV. What are the licensing requirements?

The State of Michigan requires providers who care for children under 13 for less than 24 hours a day unattended by a parent or legal guardian for more than two consecutive weeks to obtain a Child Care Center License. This year, the State is requiring most out-of-school providers that fit the description for Child Care licensing to be in compliance with the rule. All grantees must show proof of appropriate licensure prior to the first day of summer programming.

Notes:

Applicants may include costs associated with obtaining a license in their Summer Discovery budget which will be submitted at the time of application.
Licenses are issued to a specific person or organization at a specific location. Partners/schools that operate multiple sites will need to be licensed at each location.
Child Care licensing ensures that providers are in safe spaces and use quality, background-checked, and fingerprinted staff to provide care and programming.

Active licenses, their type, and student capacity can be found by using the Statewide Facility Search database. More details about resources can be found here.

V: Can a school and Community-Based Organization (CBO) partner in a way that the school provides academic instruction and the CBO provides enrichment?

Yes! At the point of application, the school must submit a document outlining the full scope of the service agreement between the school and each community-based organization (CBO), as applicable.

Acceptable documentation may include a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), Contract for Service, or a Letter of Intent from the CBO (sample template here), so long as it outlines the following:

the name and organization information of the CBO (including address and EIN)
the service deliverables
the timeline or period of engagement
the cost structure and payment terms

The school (and its district) will consider the CBO a contractor. The school and the district are expected to manage the engagement with the CBO, including verifying service deliverables are met and ensuring timely payment (but no sooner than when the district receives funding). They will be required to verify this information as part of the final report.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the CBO and the school/district will be required by the time of enrollment check. CBO costs can be updated in the application budget at the time of enrollment check/MOU submission. Grant agreements will be sent once all required materials are received.

VI. I’m a school applying as the lead applicant. Is there a hard deadline to have a CBO/s selected for partnership?

Yes. Individual schools should plan to have their Community-Based Organization (CBO) selected at the time of application submission if possible. If a school would like to apply for Summer Discovery but is not able to solidify a CBO partner by the time of application, please submit an application with this note. You should estimate CBO costs in your budget.

The final deadline by which to have a CBO partner selected and to submit a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) is enrollment check (for sites beginning programming before June 27, this date is 5/30/25; for sites starting after June 27, this date is 6/6/25).

CBO costs can be updated in the application budget at the time of enrollment check/MOU submission. Grant agreements will be sent once all required materials are received.

VII. We only want to offer the program to a few grade levels. Can we?

Yes! Funding is available for any number of students/grades within the targeted grade levels of Rising 1st – Rising 9th graders (students entering 1st through 9th grades). For example, a program could limit participation to Rising 1st through Rising 6th grade students. Another program may only serve Rising 6th through Rising 8th grade students.

Grant Funding Details

I. What is the funding model?

The Summer Discovery grant provides $80 per student for each day of the program, up to $2,000/student. The table below calculates the per-student amount based on the length of the program (for information about rising 9th grade half day programs, please refer to question III below):

Length of Program – FULL DAY	Per Student Amount – FULL DAY
20 day program	$1,600/student
21 day program	$1,680/student
22 day program	$1,760/student
23 day program	$1,840/student
24 day program	$1,920/student
25 day program	$2,000/student

*Any program longer than 25 days will receive the maximum student rate of $2,000.

This per-student amount is reliant upon meeting program dosage requirements:

All programs must provide 8+ hours of student care, which can include before- and after-care. This time must also include 3+ hours/day of ELA and math.
A school must provide summer instruction for 20+ days (excludes assessment-only or enrichment-only days).

As long as a school meets these requirements, there is flexibility to add days or make adjustments as needed. For more information about the funding model, click here.

II. How do I calculate the “Length of Program?”

As long as a grantee provides an average of 3+ hours of ELA and math instruction over at least 20 days and provides 8 hours of care (which may include before- and/or after-care), we encourage flexibility with scheduling. There may be days dedicated solely to assessments and/or trips or enrichment, and while these days do not count toward the required 20 days of instruction, you may still receive funding for these days. For example, if a school takes students on field trips on Fridays, you may still receive funding for those days even though no instruction was given. As long as the 20 days of instruction is met, grantees are still eligible to receive funding for enrichment or field trip days (up to 25 days).

For more information about the funding model, click here.

III. I am going to be serving Rising 9th grade students and would like to provide just a half day of instruction. What do I need to know?

To allow for greater flexibility and to respond to needs we have heard, grantees may apply for a half-day program for students entering 9th grade only. A minimum of three hours of instruction (math and/or ELA) must be provided, and the length of the student day must be at least 5 hours. You will be asked for details in the application.

When completing your budget, you will be asked to project the number of students you have participating in full-day programs, and the number of students participating in half-day programs. For half-day programs, the Summer Discovery grant provides $55 per student for each day of the program, up to 25 days.

Length of Program – HALF DAY	Per Student Amount – HALF DAY
20 day program	$1,100
21 day program	$1,155
22 day program	$1,210
23 day program	$1,265
24 day program	$1,320
25 day program	$1,375

*Any program longer than 25 days will receive the maximum student rate listed above.

IV. When will I predict student enrollment (which will inform my grant amount?)

Your application requires an estimated student enrollment, which allows you to calculate the predicted funding amount.

The estimated number of students in the application often does not match your real-time enrollment numbers in the summer. For this reason, each grantee will have an “enrollment check” to most accurately predict the number of students who will attend and to see if the grant total needs to be adjusted. The goal is for your adjusted enrollment to be as close to your actual enrollment as possible. This opportunity to adjust enrollment predictions will take place closer to the start of your summer program (for sites beginning summer programming before June 27, this date is 5/30/25; for sites beginning after June 27, this date is 6/6/25).

NOTE: During the enrollment check, if your updated enrollment projections are less than your original estimated student enrollment, the grant amount in your grant agreement will be adjusted to reflect the updated number of students you predict will attend the program, and you’ll be asked to submit a revised budget.

For more information about the funding model, click here.

V. What are the attendance requirements for students?

Because attendance is essential for student success, sites will be required to track and report attendance. At the end of your program, sites will be asked to report on your student attendance.

Each grantee will participate in an enrollment check (see “When will I predict student enrollment?” question) close to the end of the school year to get the most accurate prediction of students who will attend and to see if the grant total needs to be adjusted. The goal is for your adjusted enrollment to be as close to your actual enrollment as possible.

Grantees will receive 70% of their actual grant total upon signing their grant agreement. Two attendance-related criteria must be met to ensure the final 30% of the grant is received following the program:

Maximize access: Actual enrollment is at least 70% of the adjusted enrollment (the number of students in your grant agreement).
Maximize student impact: Average student attendance meets or exceeds 70% of your actual enrollment.

You will be asked to report on enrollment and attendance throughout and at the end of your program. The number of students you serve and these students’ attendance percentages will influence your total funding amount. To receive your full funding, your actual enrollment must be at least 70% the number of students in your grant agreement, and average student attendance must average 70% or better for the duration of the program.

In addition to the attendance requirements outlined above, the final 30% payment is contingent upon meeting all grant reporting requirements, meeting all grant terms and deliverables, and reviewing and approving the final expenditure report, including supporting documentation and final spend amounts.

For more information about the funding model, click here.

VI. Are there additional criteria in addition to attendance that may impact receiving the final 30% payment of the grant award?

Yes. In addition to the attendance requirements outlined above, the final 30% payment is contingent upon meeting all grant reporting requirements, meeting all grant terms and deliverables, and reviewing and approving the final expenditure report, including supporting documentation and final spend amounts. Unspent funds must be returned to the funder.

For more information about the funding model, click here.

VII. Who will receive the funds?

Grant agreements will be with the legal entity for the individual school (e.g., district, CMO, stand-alone charter school, or CBO). Funds will be distributed to the grant agreement holder.

VIII. How can we use the grant funds?

You may use grant funding to fund new programming or enhance existing programming. Funds can be used to support many aspects of your summer program. This may include staffing salaries and teacher bonuses, curriculum, supplies and materials, enrichment activities, facility costs, transportation, meals, technology, and any other expenses you incur explicitly related to summer learning.

We would expect the following items to be prioritized in budgets:

Paying teachers and other staff at a competitive rate
Robust enrichment activities, which teachers and/or community partners may offer
Transportation costs (travel to/from the program, travel to an enrichment partner, travel for field trips)
Attendance incentives (e.g., weekly celebrations or activities to specifically encourage attendance)
Food for students
Before/after care to meet the needs of working families (optional)

IX. When will my organization receive payment?

Assuming all necessary requirements are met, you will receive a payment of 70% of the grant total from our fiscal sponsor, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, ~10 business days after your grant agreement is fully executed.

We will ask you to provide an updated summer enrollment number near the end of your 2024-25 academic year. If your adjusted enrollment number is less than the number of students you projected in your application, your grant amount will be updated to reflect the adjusted enrollment number.

First payments, totaling 70% of the adjusted grant amount, will be disbursed once all required documents, including a fully executed grant agreement, are received. Payments will be made approximately 10 days after submission of the final, fully executed grant agreement. Delay in submitting all required documentation will result in delay in payment. Based on your financial institution’s guidelines, please allow 2-3 days for the funds to post in your account.
The balance of your grant, if applicable, will be paid on or around 10/10/25. Note: final payment is contingent upon meeting attendance-related criteria, reviewing and approving the final expenditure report, reporting the final spend, meeting all grant reporting requirements, and meeting all of the grant criteria.

Please see chart for timeline, and for more information about the funding model, click here.

	Enrollment Check Deadline	Grant Agreements Sent By (must be signed before program begins)	First Payment Sent*	Final Payment Sent, if applicable (assuming all requirements met)
Grantees with Summer Discovery start date before 6/27/24	5/30/25	6/13/25	~10 days after grant agreement signed*	10/10/25
Grantees with Summer Discovery start date after 6/27/24	6/6/25	6/20/25	~10 days after grant agreement signed	10/10/25

*If this timing poses a financial burden for sites, work with your program officer to submit your enrollment check earlier than the stated enrollment check deadline.

Attendance Requirements

I. What are the attendance requirements for students?

Because attendance is essential for student success, sites will be required to track and report attendance. At the end of your program, sites will be asked to report on your student attendance.

Maximize access: Actual enrollment is at least 70% of the adjusted enrollment (the number of students in your grant agreement).
Maximize student impact: Average student attendance meets or exceeds 70% of your actual enrollment.

For more information about the funding model, click here.

II. How will I be expected to encourage student enrollment and attendance this summer?

We know that a focus on attendance during the summer is critical and that the largest threat to quality of programs is maintaining attendance. In your application, you’ll be asked to detail plans for encouraging and maintaining student attendance. We have seen that strong attendance is encouraged by actions such as:

Early and consistent outreach to families (e.g. social media, emails, flyers, personalized invitation postcards)
Initial meetings, open houses or presentations to families to set expectations – sites may consider a fun and celebratory registration event to bring families together
Strong transportation planning
A daily attendance monitoring system, incorporating outreach for absent students
Daily, weekly, and/or culminating attendance incentives (e.g., lunch with the teacher, pick an item from the school store/prize box, pizza party/ice cream party/game day, theme weeks or special events)
Of course, creating a unique summer culture different from traditional school in the form of a compelling program that includes engaging enrichment offerings… and fun!

Historically, we know that attendance tends to drop during the last week of summer programming, so we encourage sites to think creatively about how you will encourage attendance during the final days of the summer experience.

Applications

I. When are applications due?

We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible in case any follow-up is needed.

Early Decision Application deadline is 11:59 pm ET on 12/13/24.
Final Application Deadline is 11:59 pm ET on 1/31/25.

II. How will I know if my application has been approved for funding?

We aim to notify all applicants of grant decisions by 2/28/25, but early-decision applicants will be notified before this deadline. The grant notifications will likely be delayed if materials are missing or follow-up is required. We encourage you to apply as soon as you can submit a strong application.

III. Will a budget need to be submitted with the application?

Yes. We have provided a budget worksheet for your planning purposes, which you can make a copy of by clicking here. You will be asked to provide a budget and a budget narrative in your application. Funds may be used for new programs or to enhance existing programming.

Please reference this document for guidance on budget line items. Once budgets are approved, all line item overages of 10% or more must be reviewed with your program officer. Indirect costs may not be added after the initial budget is submitted unless approved by your program officer.

We would expect the following items to be prioritized in budgets:

Paying teachers and other staff at a competitive rate
Robust enrichment activities, which may be offered by teachers and/or community partners
Transportation costs (travel to/from the program, travel to an enrichment partner, travel for field trips)
Attendance incentives (e.g., weekly celebrations or activities to specifically encourage attendance)
Food for students
Before/after care to meet the needs of working families (optional)
Lavinia RISE Costs (including materials, printing, and costs for teacher/leader professional development)

IV. Can I view the application before completing it?

Yes! Please click here. Many applicants have found it helpful to enter and edit their answers in this document before transferring to the application form.

Program Scheduling

I. What dates does the summer program need to be offered? Is there flexibility with the schedule?

For grantees selecting their own curriculum outside of the Lavinia RISE curriculum, you can set all program dates. The program must include at least 20 instructional days, with an average of three hours of high-quality English language arts (ELA) and math instruction over at least 20 days (excludes assessment-only or enrichment-only days).

Beyond these guidelines, grantees are welcome to create a schedule that meets the needs of students and families and are encouraged to be as innovative as you would like (e.g., Mon-Thurs academics and Fridays enrichment or travel).

II. What are the program dates if I choose to use the Lavinia RISE curriculum? Is there flexibility with the schedule?

For grantees selecting the Lavinia RISE Curriculum, leader and teacher training dates are set (see “Lavinia RISE Curriculum” section of this FAQ). However, you have the flexibility to start and end your summer program at times that work best for your site.

The Lavinia RISE Curriculum includes 20 days of lesson plans featuring three hours of high-quality English Language Arts (ELA) and math instruction each day. Beyond these guidelines, grantees are welcome to create a schedule that meets the needs of students and families and are encouraged to be as innovative as they would like (for example, Mon-Thurs academics and Fridays enrichment or travel).

III. How long does the daily program need to be?

To best meet the needs of working families, the grant opportunity requires full-day programming (8+ hours) that includes both academics and enrichment (and may include before/after care).

Here are some sample schedules of what the schedule could look like.

Teacher Recruitment & Compensation

I. Who should I hire to teach my summer program?

Because we know that higher-quality instruction is correlated with student outcomes, we ask about your plans for recruiting the most experienced and highest-performing teachers in your application.

For schools: teachers providing the ELA and math academic instruction must be qualified to provide academic instruction during the school year. We know that some schools have flexibility related to licensure/certification, so we do not have a blanket requirement. However, we do require that you use the same bar you would use during the school year to determine whether someone is qualified to teach a specific grade and subject area.

For CBOs, teachers providing the ELA and math academic instruction must be current teachers, former teachers, or those pursuing a teaching license.

All sites are responsible for screening personnel who will be working with students this summer (any costs related to screening personnel may be included in your budget).

II. How much should we pay our teachers for teaching during the summer program?

During Summer Discovery 2024, the average Summer Discovery hourly teacher rate of pay was $58/hour.

The majority of sites reported they offered more compensation per hour than they typically offer during the school year. As such, the funding model continues to be built to allow generous compensation for teachers, and sites are encouraged to think about what would be a significant rate of pay for teachers in order to attract the best talent.

PLEASE NOTE: If your school elects to use the Lavinia RISE curriculum, teachers are expected to attend 3 days of pre-program training and are encouraged to attend ~45-minute weekly development meetings. Consider these professional development time commitments when constructing your teacher compensation plans. (See the “Lavinia RISE Curriculum” section of this FAQ for more details.)

Other: Enrichment, Transportation, Family Engagement

I. Does this grant opportunity provide funding for transportation?

Yes. Grantees are responsible for designing transportation plans that will meet their students’ needs, and the per-student funding amount has been designed to factor in these costs. This includes transportation to/from the program, enrichment activities, and field trips. In your application, we will ask you to provide details of your transportation plans.

II. Are grantees required to provide enrichment activities as part of this grant opportunity?

Yes. We believe that offering unique enrichment opportunities and programming different from the typical school year encourages students to enroll in and attend summer programming. We want students to receive academic instruction over the summer and also to have a lot of fun! The per-student amount has been designed to factor in enrichment costs. Providing enrichment opportunities outside of traditional instruction is a requirement of the grant.

III. What should my enrichment structure look like?

As long as you provide a full-day program (8+ hours) with academics and enrichment, schools can design high-quality and engaging enrichment programs focused on your student interests and aspirations! The ELA and math academic component needs to be an average of 3+ hours per day over at least 20 days. Beyond that, schools have flexibility to determine the types of enrichment programming provided.

Schools are encouraged to partner with CBOs or enrichment providers and have flexibility in the number and type of partners. Schools may also engage your own staff members in providing enrichment opportunities. As long as all students have access to high-quality enrichment programs, schools have flexibility in the program design.

Enrichment opportunities can look like high-quality “specials” or “electives” consistent with the school year, but grantees are also encouraged to use the grant funding for innovative additional opportunities. Some examples may include:

Including opportunities like field trips, community-based activities/volunteering, and/or career exploration
Creating a rotating schedule or including an element of choice for students to maximize exposure and empower students to select programming of interest to them
Moving programming out of schools where possible to give students an experience outside of the traditional classroom
Pursuing a partnership in which a school and CBO work together to build a full-day program that offers both academics and enrichment
Incorporating STEAM and/or digital literacy whenever possible

Schools are responsible for ensuring that all enrichment activities provided are engaging, high-quality, and structured activities for their students. Schools should be confident that programs offer an opportunity for active, engaged participation by students in a safe and supported climate.

IV. How should I engage families throughout the program if I’m selected as a grantee?

In your application, we’ll ask about your plans for engaging families as you recruit for the program and throughout the summer. What this looks like is up to you, but some ideas for family engagement include:

Regular touchpoints with families throughout the summer including a bi/weekly newsletter
Family surveys to understand satisfaction to inform future planning
Individual student progress reports
Flyers to advertise school-wide events or opportunities for families to engage
Opportunities for families to chaperone or join enrichment activities, or trips

Additional, optional family-facing template resources will be provided to give you materials to keep families engaged and updated throughout the summer. If you are interested in the optional family-facing template resources, please contact your assigned program officer.

Assessments

I. Are the provided pre- and post-assessments required?

Yes. ALL participating organizations will be required to take the pre-and post-assessments to measure student growth this summer (provided at no cost to schools). This also applies to sites that are not using the Lavinia RISE curriculum.

II. What are the pre- and post-assessments? How will I know which standards are assessed?

The Summer Discovery Program administers pre- and post-assessments to help educators inform instruction over the summer and to help program leads evaluate and reflect on the impact of summer programming on student learning outcomes.

Since Summer Discovery is a 20-day program, these assessments focus on a subset of priority standards. This focus on critical standards allows teachers to go deep instead of wide. Students can practice, receive feedback, and meaningfully grow on a handful of skills throughout the summer.

You can see which standards students are assessed here: Literacy Standards & Mathematics Standards. Please note that although the Lavinia Group curriculum is explicitly aligned to these standards, all participating sites in the Summer Discovery program are assessed on them.

The assessments are a combination of multiple-choice and open-response questions. All students will take these assessments on the assessment platform at the beginning and end of the summer program. If you prefer to administer paper assessments, you may opt to do so, but you must grade and scan the assessments within 48 hours of administration. The assessment platform (new to Summer 2025) will be provided to all schools, and training on administering and scoring the assessment will be provided.

The assessments are untimed, but we estimate about 40-60 minutes for ELA and 40-60 minutes for math (a total of up to two hours for the pre-assessments and up to two hours for the post-assessments).

III. When should I give the pre- and post-assessments to my students?

We recommend that schools administer the math and ELA pre-assessments during the first 1-2 days of the program to establish a baseline for student performance. If preferred, these assessments can be completed in a single day or spread over two days (one for ELA and one for math).

To capture the most growth, we suggest administering the post-assessment during the program’s final week. This allows enough time for teachers to score and review the assessments before the program ends.

Since attendance often drops off toward the end of the program, site leaders should develop a strategic communication and testing plan to ensure all students complete the post-assessments. This could include:

Proactively informing caregivers and students about the importance of the assessments
Communicating with caregivers about student exit dates to ensure assessments are completed before students leave the program
Incentivizing attendance on assessment days, such as scheduling celebrations or field trips afterward

IV. When will training on assessment implementation and scoring be provided?

All grantees will receive training materials (including videos and resources) on assessment implementation and scoring as part of the Summer Discovery onboarding process. Program leaders are required to attend an assessment onboarding meeting, and teachers are encouraged to participate in a live assessment training. The new assessment platform will offer accessible, responsive customer service for any technical questions before, during, or after the assessments.

Assessment implementation and scoring will also be covered during the Lavinia pre-program professional development week, and this training will be available to all Summer Discovery grantees (even those not using the Lavinia RISE Curriculum).

V. Can we use our own assessments instead of the Lavinia Group assessments?

The pre- and post-assessments, developed by the Lavinia Group, are required for all participants, regardless of whether you use the Lavinia RISE curriculum or select your own curriculum. While you cannot use your own assessments instead of the Lavinia Group assessments, if you would like to administer additional assessments, that is at your discretion.

Lavinia Rise Curriculum

I. What is the Lavinia RISE curriculum?

The Lavinia RISE Curriculum is a comprehensive summer program designed to help educators address the challenges of unfinished learning from the school year. Developed and implemented by the Lavinia Group, an organization specializing in K-8 academic improvement through coaching, professional development, and curriculum, this evidence-based program has demonstrated significant student growth in various cities nationwide, including Detroit. We recommend the Lavinia RISE Curriculum for schools that do not already have an established summer program. Sites that choose to implement the Lavinia RISE curriculum will receive the curriculum at no cost.

The Lavinia RISE program provides teachers and leaders with:

20 days of engaging and standards-aligned curriculum in literacy and math
Ready-to-use instructional materials and teacher-planning resources
Pre-program training for teachers and leaders
Weekly professional development for teachers
Progress monitoring tools, differentiation toolkits, and caregiver communication

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

II. What are the components of the Lavinia RISE curriculum?

The Lavinia RISE Curriculum offers 185 minutes of engaging, standards-aligned literacy and math instruction each day for students entering 1st through 9th grade. Designed specifically for summer learning, it incorporates the latest research on the science of reading, mathematical reasoning, and accelerated learning strategies. The curriculum provides a solid foundation for all learners while allowing teachers to customize and differentiate instruction to meet their students’ unique needs.

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for a detailed overview and curriculum samples.

III. Are there any updates to the Lavinia RISE Curriculum this summer?

Yes, the Lavinia RISE Curriculum has been updated based on feedback from Summer Discovery educators. Here are some key changes for Summer 2025:

All rising 1st and 2nd graders will receive decodable readers for both in-class and take-home use, helping them apply phonics skills while exploring engaging, knowledge-rich topics.
The Close Reading curriculum text set has been updated, and the reading cycle has been enhanced to include morphological awareness, decoding, vocabulary, and fluency practice for all students from Rising 3rd to Rising 9th grade.
The curriculum includes new resources such as caregiver communication materials and differentiation guides.

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

IV. Does Lavinia RISE provide accommodations/differentiation for English Language Learners and students with unique educational needs?

Yes. The Lavinia RISE research-based program is designed to support English Language Learners and students with unique educational and Special Education needs in multiple ways. The program:

Incorporates robust group and partner discussion opportunities, allowing students to practice their oral speaking skills.
Offers phonics instruction that includes direct, explicit, sequential, and multisensory routines to support foundational reading skills.
Gives students access to information in various modalities, such as text, diagrams, etc.
Provides opportunities for students to learn and keep track of content-area vocabulary.
Teaches students how to organize their thinking visually using notebooks and, where appropriate, additional graphic organizers.
Includes partner reading and read-aloud work so students are able to hear models of fluent reading and discuss their ideas with classmates.

In addition, professional development opportunities are explicitly designed to help teachers utilize appropriate scaffolds and differentiation techniques in response to student data. During the pre-program training for sites using the Lavinia curriculum, Lavinia Group will provide training on differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students in one-on-one and small-group settings. We encourage program leaders to attend to learn strategies and best practices. Following the training and throughout the summer, teachers can meet with Lavinia Group coaches to receive support and guidance on supporting all learners.

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

V. How does Lavinia Group’s curriculum align with research on the science of reading?

The curriculum allows students to have access to both word recognition and language comprehension strategies. Through the Phonics curriculum, students will receive explicit demonstration and practice in foundational reading skills. Through the Insight Humanities™ and Close Reading for Meaning™ curriculum, students will apply background knowledge, gain vocabulary, and make inferential meaning from various texts in multiple genres.

VI. What professional development does Lavinia Group offer for teachers and leaders using the Lavinia RISE curriculum?

Lavinia Group provides leader training, teacher training, and weekly professional development throughout the summer. Sites using the Lavinia RISE Curriculum receive these professional development services at no cost.

Leader Training: Leaders attend a 3-hour live zoom training session before Teacher Training Week, where they will receive a comprehensive overview of the Lavinia RISE program. This session will cover strategies to support educators in delivering a high-impact summer program aimed at accelerating student learning, as well as best practices for managing summer instruction. Additionally, leaders will gain access to valuable tools and resources to help them quickly enhance educator practices.
Teacher Training: Lavinia Group will conduct a comprehensive 3-day training for Summer Discovery educators, aimed at helping them internalize the summer curriculum. This interactive training will immerse educators in model lessons, allowing them to plan and practice lessons while receiving valuable feedback and coaching. Participants will also learn effective strategies for incorporating high-engagement activities and differentiating instruction to meet the diverse needs of their students. Throughout the sessions, teachers will have ample opportunities to ask questions, engage in content discussions, and debate various instructional approaches, fostering a collaborative learning environment that promotes professional growth.
Weekly Professional Development: Once the summer begins, educators will also have the opportunity to attend live weekly development meetings and office hours facilitated by a Lavinia Group coach. These meetings are designed to support intellectual preparation, data analysis, differentiation, and general program questions. Participants can join these sessions live through Zoom or participate asynchronously through the self-paced learning modules.

VII. What are the costs associated with implementing the Lavinia RISE curriculum, and how should I budget for them?

The Lavinia RISE curriculum and professional development will be provided at no cost to grantees; however, all sites should budget accordingly for teacher and leader training and curriculum supplies. Additionally, sites may want to budget for the cost of printing the curriculum, which will be available as downloadable PDF’s by grade level on the Lavinia RISE Summer School platform.

It is important to factor the costs of these materials into the budget you submit in your Discovery Summer application.

Professional Development (Required for Lavinia RISE Program)

Leaders: 3 hours of training
Teachers:
- Teacher Training: 12 hours (for educators teaching one subject – Math or ELA) and 18 hours (for educators teaching two subjects – Math AND ELA).
- Teachers are also encouraged to attend Lavinia’s five 60-minute Weekly Development Meetings.
- In total this is estimated at 17 hours of professional development for one subject and 23 hours of professional development for two subjects.

Curriculum Materials (Required for Lavinia RISE Program)

Grade	Estimated Cost of Classroom Materials (1 Class of 18 students)
Rising 1st	$45
Rising 2nd	$37
Rising 3rd	$12
Rising 4th	$13
Rising 5th	$39
Rising 6th	$17
Rising 7th	$18
Rising 8th	$17
Rising 9th	$15

Printing Fees (Optional for Lavinia RISE Program)

Grade	Estimated Printing Cost (1 Class of 18 students)
Rising 1st	$42
Rising 2nd	$42
Rising 3rd	$39
Rising 4th	$39
Rising 5th	$39
Rising 6th	$38
Rising 7th	$38
Rising 8th	$39
Rising 9th	$39

VIII. What technology do teachers and students need to use the program?

Teachers will need a digital device to access the curriculum and supporting materials from the Lavinia RISE Platform, the summer program’s online learning management system. This platform is the central hub for educators to find program information, the curriculum, and additional professional development content.

Student technology is not required for the Lavinia RISE Program.

IX. Can we pick and choose what parts of the Lavinia curriculum we use?

If choosing to engage in the Lavinia RISE curriculum, it is expected that the whole program will be implemented in accordance with the training and materials provided by Lavinia Group. This adherence is important to retain the quality of the program. However, you are welcome to supplement the Lavinia RISE Curriculum as you see fit. For example, you could choose to add a STEM block or incorporate a blended learning program, or incorporate other adjustments that meet the needs of your students.

X. How will we track student growth on the Lavinia RISE Curriculum over the summer?

All summer school teachers and leaders will have access to the pre- and post-assessment data, which is aligned to the standards in the Lavinia RISE Curriculum. The assessment platform provides easy-to-use comprehensive reports that allow you to cut the data in a variety of ways. In addition, all sites using the Lavinia Curriculum will receive an optional phonics, reading, and mathematics data tracker that they can leverage to monitor student data each week. With this dynamic tracker, program leaders will be able to evaluate data across classes and grades as well as week-to-week throughout the program.

Reporting & Data Collection

I. What are the final reporting requirements?

If your organization is approved for the grant, additional documentation/actions will be required, which may include:

Narrative Report
Financial Report and supporting documentation as requested
End of Program Final Budget Template, including Final CBO Spend
Site Characteristics Survey
Summer Discovery Attendance Tracker
Administration of pre- and post-assessments
Administration of student/staff/family surveys
Potentially participating in and/or helping to organize family and student focus groups

II. How will program outcomes be measured?

Ballmer Group is collaborating with an independent researcher to help understand the impact of Summer Discovery on students and provide evidence of your best practices for OST. Therefore, we will request additional documentation of program sites, including signing a data-sharing agreement.

Data points requested may include individual-level student data such as Student IDs, student names, demographic information (race/ethnicity, free lunch status, campus), school-year attendance rates, and standardized assessment performance (state and/or NWEA/i-Ready). All Summer Discovery grantees would be expected to participate in order to maximize the impact of the program.