The Bibb County School District is considering changes to its summer learning programs after most students identified as struggling did not attend the district’s recent summer opportunity program. The program, which ran from June 2 to 26, invited 3,241 elementary and middle school students in Macon who were “far below grade level proficiency” in reading and math. Only 1,020 students participated, representing about 31% of those invited.
Despite the low turnout, this year’s participation was higher than last year’s enrollment. In 2024, out of 2,232 invited students, 974 attended.
Students were selected for the program based on their performance in reading and math screeners and their grades in English language arts and math. The initiative targeted third through eighth graders with the goal of preparing them for the next academic year.
“We identified students who were deficient in some skills that they needed for the next grade level, and we invited them to the summer program to help brush up on those skills,” said Brian Butler, BCSD executive director of teaching and learning.
Butler explained that while attendance is highly recommended for these students, it is not mandatory.
BCSD spokesperson Stephanie Hartley noted that attending summer school does not guarantee or prevent a student from advancing a grade; principals make retention decisions after reviewing each student’s records.
Butler stated that this version of the opportunity program has been running since at least 2022. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, summer school was sometimes tied to grade promotion.
Georgia Milestones scores presented at an August board meeting showed gains in math among Bibb County students but continued challenges in reading. The district remains behind statewide averages in most subjects.
Data shared with board members indicated that attendees made measurable progress between pre-test and post-test scores. For example, among third graders participating in the program, those approaching or on target for their reading level increased from 46% before the program to 76% after. In math, on-target rates rose from 16% to 44%. Fifth-grade results showed improvement as well: before the program only 3% were on target for reading; afterward it was up to 14%.
During the four-hour daily sessions over three weeks, students received instruction focused on numeracy, literacy and personalized learning strategies. While many participants improved their readiness for next year’s material—what Butler described as being “on target”—most still did not reach full grade-level proficiency by summer’s end.
Board member Daryl Morton asked if “on target” meant “on grade level.” Butler clarified: being “on target” means a student is ready for upcoming skills but does not necessarily reflect full proficiency at current grade standards.
Before addressing why participation remains low or identifying specific barriers preventing families from enrolling children in summer school opportunities, Butler said district leaders need to decide what form future programs will take. He added: “After we narrow that focus, then we’ll really focus on how we can get the students there… Even though we had a lot of families who didn’t take advantage of the opportunity, the numbers are increasing. They’re just obviously not where we want them.”
Board member Henry Ficklin raised concerns about increasing participation among deficient students who may see such programs as punitive rather than helpful. Butler responded that moving up invitation timelines could improve parental outreach efforts and said additional programming might be offered soon for kindergarten through third-grade students to prevent early setbacks.
“When we looked at the data you can see that each grade level gets a little further and further behind,” Butler said. “So we want to make sure that we can get them as early as possible.”
Myrtice Johnson questioned why younger grades weren’t included this time around—asking if funding played a role—but Butler attributed it more to tradition focusing resources on tested upper grades rather than primary ones. He suggested earlier intervention could lead to better test outcomes later since younger grades actually had higher attendance during this year’s session compared with older ones.
Staff surveys indicated instructional resources used during summer helped boost achievement among third through eighth graders; student surveys also showed most felt better prepared but few wanted repeat attendance.
