Dallas City of Learning Partners: Tackle Summer Slide

Established: Tackle Summer Slide began in summer 2015 seeded by the Commit! Partnership in the South Oak Cliff community.

About: Tackle Summer Slide is a collaborative effort to reverse summer reading loss by ensuring access to online curriculum, instruction from trained reading specialists, and learning incentives. Organizing partners include the Commit! Partnership, Dallas Afterschool, Dallas ISD, Istation, City of Dallas Park & Recreation, and Tackle Tomorrow.

Why is Summer Learning so Important?
“Only one in three 3rd graders (34%) in Dallas County are reading at a college-ready pace,” says Jonathan Feinstein, Director of Community Engagement, Commit! Partnership. “Nationally, low-income students experience an average summer learning loss in reading achievement of more than two months every year.”

Why Partner with Dallas City of Learning?
“Dallas City of Learning is a natural partner,” says Feinstein, “because both of our efforts are aimed at supporting our community with access to the resources and opportunities needed to help kids learn and develop during the summer.”

How Does Your Participation in Dallas City of Learning Benefit Tackle Summer Slide Kids?
“In partnership with 12 summer learning sites, Tackle Summer Slide reached 525 rising K-3 students,” says Feinstein. “Initial results from this summer show that 64% of participating kids did not experience summer slide and 48% either stayed on grade level or grew reading levels.”

“With the support of Dallas City of Learning, Tackle Summer Slide partners piloted a series of five parent workshops offered throughout the summer in an effort to ensure learning extends into the home,” Feinstein continues. “Fifty parents attended at least one workshop, and 100% of surveyed parents found that workshop information and activities are making a positive difference in their life. Staff from Commit!, Dallas Public Library, Tackle Tomorrow, and The Concilio served as workshop presenters.”

What is Your Vision and Passion for the Future of Education?
“Research shows that more than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities,” says Feinstein. “The vision for Tackle Summer Slide is that students, families and communities have access to the knowledge, resources and opportunities to close the reading achievement gap.”

– Mario Tarradell