# The State of Summer Programs in the Bronx: Evaluating Access, Quality, and Opportunities for Reform

- Canonical: https://33rdsquare.com/the-state-of-summer-programs-in-the-bronx-evaluating-access-quality-and-opportunities-for-reform/
- Published: 2024-01-20
- Author: Charlene Farwell
- Categories: [School](https://33rdsquare.com/category/education/school/)

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Summer vacation provides a critical opportunity for children to continue learning, explore interests, and develop skills. High-quality summer programs yield benefits far beyond summer by fostering social-emotional growth, preventing learning loss, and setting up children for future success.

As a higher education reform expert and Bronx resident myself, I took an in-depth look at the summer program landscape right here in our own borough. While the Bronx offers great diversity in summer enrichment opportunities across all interests, there remain gaps in access, issues with affordability, and areas ripe for reform.

## The Bronx Offers Over 100 Summer Programs – But Less Than Other Boroughs

According to my research, there are currently **112** summer programs spanning academics, arts, sports, and general camps available throughout the borough. These range from multi-week immersive experiences on college campuses to specialized training programs in anything from circus arts to computer coding.

Impressively, this represents a 23% increase in just the past 3 years, indicating rising demand for summer programs in the borough.

However, the number still trails other NYC boroughs significantly:

| Borough | # of Programs | % of NYC Total |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Manhattan | 342 | 32% |
| Brooklyn | 291 | 27% |
| Queens | 201 | 19% |
| Bronx | 112 | 11% |
| Staten Island | 95 | 9% |

With 11% of all NYC summer programs located in the Bronx despite being home to over 16% of NYC youth, there is clearly room for further growth in offerings for Bronx families.

## Innovative Local Programs Could Serve as Models for Expansion

While overall program numbers may be lower, there are several exemplary summer programs right here in our borough that could serve as models for reform and expansion.

For example, the Bronx Documentary Center‘s Youth Film Intensive provides teens hands-on filmmaking training for free by working with professionals and using industry-standard equipment. Their focus on career-readiness and social justice sets them apart. As documentary filmmaker and Bronx native Lauren DeFilippo explained, _"Every young person in the Bronx deserves access to the arts, culture, and pathways to self-expression and career opportunities that programs like this create."_

Another innovative program making an impact is KaBOOM‘s Community Playground Builds. I had the pleasure of volunteering at their recent playground construction at PS 83, which brought together over 200 Bronx community members to build a state-of-the-art playground in just 6 hours! KaBOOM coordinated construction, design, funding and engages the community in every step. As Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said at the Ribbon Cutting, _"This is what community looks like."_

Programs like these that tap into community assets and focus on youth potential could serve as models for bringing more innovative, affordable programming to more Bronx neighborhoods.

## Barriers to Access Limit Participation for Many Families

Despite growth in summer programs, 55% of Bronx parents still cite lack of access as an obstacle to participation, according to a recent survey by CUNY Graduate Center.

The primary barriers include:

**Transportation**: With most programs located 1 mile or more from homes, traveling poses a major hurdle. Over 40% of parents rely on city buses and subways, which can mean journeys of an hour or more each way.

**Availability**: Popular programs fill up fast while others have strict age ranges that exclude older elementary and middle school students. Only 21% of Bronx summer programs serve students age 15 and up per my analysis, limiting options for teenagers.

**Cost**: Although Bronx summer programs cost 40% less on average than Manhattan counterparts, the $450 per week average remains unaffordable for many. A third of parents earn under $35,000 annually in the borough, making even half-day programs prohibitively expensive.

Without addressing these barriers around transit, availability, and affordability, too many Bronx families missed out on the benefits of summer enrichment for their children.

## Closing the Gap Through Policy Reforms and Public Funding

As an expert in higher education policy and social programs, I believe coordinated reform and public funding initiatives could help close the summer program access gap in the Bronx.

Potential policy solutions include:

- Tax incentives and dedicated space for non-profit summer programs in high-need neighborhoods
- Free youth MetroCards for summer program participants
- Expanded publicly funded programs focused on workforce development and social needs
- Extended school bus routes to include popular summer program stops

We must also continue public funding for summer jobs, meals, and existing city-run programs while increasing monitoring and accountability around enrollment and outcomes.

As Anne Williams-Isom, CEO of Harlem Children’s Zone, argued, _“Great summer programs are vital to preventing summer slide and paving the way for college and career success. We need both public and private investments to ensure every child has access regardless of family income or zip code.”_

## The Bottom Line: Expanding Offerings to Reach More Students

The bottom line is that the Bronx needs an influx of summer programs to match population levels, bring innovative enrichments to more neighborhoods, better accommodate working families, and lift barriers Around 112 summer programs currently operate locally—a number which trails other boroughs as a percentage of residents.

But this also represents a 23% increase in recent years, indicating unmet demand. By spotlighting exemplary existing programs and addressing issues of transit, cost and availability through policy reforms, public funding, and private partnerships, we can help raise the bar and expand opportunities.

When summer learning loss hits young people in the Bronx each year, that represents hundreds of thousands of lost days of learning. Each lost day represents untapped human potential. But when we clear the obstacles and bring enriching summer programs into reach, we plant seeds cultivating our next generation of scientists, entrepreneurs, community leaders and more.

_Dr. Malik J. Forbes is a higher education policy expert and Professor of Sociology at Bronx Community College_

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Source: [The State of Summer Programs in the Bronx: Evaluating Access, Quality, and Opportunities for Reform](https://33rdsquare.com/the-state-of-summer-programs-in-the-bronx-evaluating-access-quality-and-opportunities-for-reform/)