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Boni Kabongo is the former academic program director at the Tree Street Youth Center in Lewiston.
Across Maine, students work hard all year to keep up with school, pass their classes, and move toward graduation. But anyone who works closely with young people knows how fragile that progress can be. One difficult semester, one failed class, or one tough stretch in a student’s life can quickly put them at risk of falling permanently behind.
As an educator, I’ve seen it firsthand. I’ve also seen what happens when students are given another chance. A few extra weeks of instruction, a teacher who refuses to give up on them, a mentor who helps them believe they can still succeed, sometimes that’s all it takes to change a student’s path.
That’s why LD 1624, An Act to Provide Funding for Summer School Programming, matters so much.
This legislation has drawn support from a diverse group of lawmakers across Maine. Together they are advancing a simple but powerful idea: when students need help, we should be willing to invest in them.
Research shows these programs work. A meta-analysis of 93 summer learning programs found that students who participated performed better than roughly 56% to 60% of comparable students who did not attend summer programs. In other words, summer learning measurably improves student outcomes.
But the programs that help students catch up are increasingly at risk. During the pandemic, Maine schools received significant federal relief funding that allowed districts to expand summer learning, academic recovery programs, and student supports. That funding is now expiring, leaving schools across the state struggling to maintain the programs that students have come to rely on.
The opportunity to catch up shouldn’t depend on your ZIP code. Whether a student lives in Lewiston, Bangor, Portland, Houlton, or any town in between, they deserve the same chance to get the support they need. Their future shouldn’t depend on whether their school district happens to have extra money left over in a budget, but that’s exactly today’s status quo across our state.
Right now, this bill sits on the table of the Appropriations Committee, the place where good ideas too often remain unfunded if they aren’t prioritized. Unless lawmakers hear from the public, this funding may never come.
It’s also important to recognize the educators, teachers, and community leaders across Maine who helped bring this issue forward. Many testified about students who were able to graduate because summer credit recovery programs gave them one more chance. Others spoke about younger students who gained confidence simply because someone gave them more time and support. Their voices matter, and they deserve thanks from everyone who cares about Maine’s youth.
In a tight budget year, standing up for students and educators isn’t always easy. But being a Mainer often means fighting for the things that matter most. And few things matter more than the future of our children. Some will say the state cannot afford it. But Maine currently holds more than $1 billion in its Budget Stabilization Fund, commonly known as the “rainy day fund.” And if you ask many educators, parents, and students across Maine, they’ll tell you something simple: It’s raining.
Right now policymakers are debating how to use those funds, including proposals that would send one-time checks of roughly $300 to residents. Those conversations are worth having. But we should also ask ourselves a basic question: What if we invested that money in Maine’s children?
Because when students fall behind, summer school can mean the difference between graduating and dropping out. When younger students struggle with reading or math, summer enrichment can close gaps before they widen. And when teenagers have structured programs and supportive mentors during the summer months, they gain stability, purpose, and opportunity.
These programs protect our youth. They strengthen our communities. And sometimes they truly change lives. Maine has the resources. We have educators ready to do the work. And we have students who cannot afford to fall further behind.
Now we just need the Legislature to act.