Summer Discovery Washington

• The program must be free to families
• Serve students entering grades 1 through 9 in fall 2026 (rising 1st through 9th graders)
• Provide at least 20 days of summer instruction (excluding days dedicated solely to assessment or enrichment)
• Provide an average of three hours of high-quality math and English Language Arts (ELA) instruction over at least 20 instructional days
• Offer full-day care (8+ hours per day) which includes academic instruction and enrichment. This can include before- and after-care.
• Maintain a student-to-teacher ratio of no more than 25:1
• Hire educators who are qualified to teach ELA and math during the school year
• Implement family engagement strategies, including regular touchpoints with families throughout the program
• Administer standardized pre- and post-assessments provided by Summer Discovery, as well as student pre- and post- surveys
• Deliver in-person instruction and enrichment
• Track and report on student enrollment and attendance
• Complete all program reporting requirements

These requirements reflect research-based best practices for effective summer learning. Sites may receive between $1,600 and $2,000 per student in grant funding to design and deliver high-quality programs. Schools have the option to use their own curriculum or the Lavinia RISE curriculum to support academic goals.

• All programs must provide at least 8 hours of student care, which may include before- and after-care.
• Academic instruction is a priority and must include an average of 90 minutes of ELA and 90 minutes of math per day.
• Deliver programming over a minimum of 20 instructional days (excluding assessment-only or enrichment-only days).

Schools have the flexibility to build additional days or tailor programming elements as long as the core requirements are met. See the Program Scheduling FAQs for more details.

Traditional public schools, charter schools, and tribal schools are eligible for grant funding if they meet all of the following criteria:

• Located in Puget Sound & South-Central Washington: School districts within Educational Service District 105 and Puget Sound ESD 121
• Serve a student population where at least 50% qualify for free lunch
• Provide in-person instruction and enrichment
• Serve students entering grades 1 through 9 in fall 2026 (rising 1st through 9th graders)

Districts may support the application process and submit a multisite application for the eligible schools in their district. However, each interested school leader must actively participate and describe the proposed program design for their school site. Districts can strengthen the application by outlining the centralized supports and services they will provide to the school sites.

Yes. Schools may choose to serve any subset of the eligible grade range (students entering 1st through 9th graders, or rising 1st through 9th graders). For example, one school might offer the program only to students entering grades 1–6, while another may focus on grades 6–8. Eligible high schools may want to serve their incoming 9th grade students. Funding is available for any number of eligible students within the targeted grade span.

Only students who attend schools that meet the eligibility requirements – serving a student population where at least 50% qualify for free lunch – can participate in Summer Discovery. If a district wants to host the program at select school buildings and consolidate sites, all of the sending schools must meet the eligibility requirement.

Summer Discovery provides grant funding of between $1,600-$2,000 per student per program day. The total amount a school receives depends on the number of instructional days planned.

* Programs exceeding 25 days will receive the maximum per-student rate of $2,000.

To be eligible for this funding, programs must meet the following minimum requirements:

• All programs must provide at least 8 hours of student care per day, which may include before- and after-care. This time must also include 3 or more hours of daily academic instruction (ELA and math).
• Offer a minimum of 20 instructional days (excluding assessment-only or enrichment-only days).

Schools may extend programming or make scheduling adjustments, as long as these core requirements are met. For more information about the funding model, click here.

It’s common for actual enrollment to differ from your original estimate. That’s why each grantee will complete an enrollment check in May or June to update projections.

The goal is for actual enrollment to be at least 70% of the enrollment number in your grant agreement, which is signed in May or June.

NOTE: If your revised enrollment projection during enrollment check is lower than initially estimated, your grant amount will be adjusted accordingly and you’ll be asked to submit a revised budget.

Consistent attendance is key to student success. To receive the final 30% of the grant funding, programs must meet two key metrics:

• Maximize access: Actual enrollment must reach at least 70% of the enrollment number in your grant agreement.
• Maximize impact: Average student attendance must be at least 70% of the students enrolled.

Schools are required to track and report enrollment and attendance throughout the summer and at the end of the program. The final 30% payment is also contingent upon meeting all grant reporting requirements and all grant terms and deliverables.

To receive 100% of your grant funding, the following must be met:

• Actual enrollment is at least 70% of the enrollment number listed in your grant agreement.
• Average daily attendance is 70% or higher.

The final 30% payment is also contingent upon meeting all grant reporting requirements and all grant terms and deliverables, including an end-of-program budget with final spend amounts.

Funds will be distributed to the grant agreement holder from either ESD 105 or PSESD 121.

Since grant agreements will be with the legal entity for the individual school (e.g., district, etc.), that entity will receive the funds directly and then distribute the funding to participating schools.

• Competitive compensation for teachers and staff
• Student supplies, materials, and technology
• High-quality enrichment activities (offered by teachers or community partners)
• Transportation (to and from programs, enrichment activities, or field trips)
• Attendance incentives (e.g., weekly rewards or celebrations)
• Facility and operational costs
• Student meals and snacks
• Before/after care to meet the 8-hour per day requirement

Once all documentation is submitted and your grant agreement is executed, schools will receive 70% of their grant funding from your local ESD within approximately 12 business days.

The final 30% will be paid on or around October 9, 2026, contingent upon:

• Meeting enrollment and attendance thresholds
• Submission of an end-of-program budget template with final spend amounts
• Completing all reporting and meeting all grant deliverables

All applicants will be notified of their application status by February 27, 2026. Approved grantees will receive an award letter.

Grantees will be supported by both Building Impact Partners and the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD), with most regular contact occurring through an assigned program support specialist. Program support specialists 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 approved grantees will include meetings, workshops, email blasts with upcoming dates and announcements, and select site visits. Your program support specialist is also available as a resource throughout the summer and during the grant reporting process (See “Reporting & Data Collection” section of this FAQ). In partnership with Building Impact Partners, the AESD will lead all grant agreements and financial monitoring.

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.

We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible in case any follow-up is needed. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis, with applications submitted by the early decision deadline to receive award decisions earlier.

• Applications are now open.
• Early Decision Deadline: December 12, 2025 (11:59 p.m. Pacific Time). Early Decision applicants will receive notification by January 30, 2026.
• Applications are due on or before 11:59 PST on January 30, 2026. All applicants will receive notification by February 27, 2026.

Applicants will be notified of their grant status no later than February 27, 2026. Early Decision applicants will receive notification by January 30, 2026. We commit to these dates and will aim to provide notifications on a rolling basis, too. We encourage you to get your applications submitted before the deadline to hear back sooner.

Please note: If application materials are incomplete or follow-up is required, notifications may be delayed. To avoid delays, we recommend applying as soon as your materials are complete and your budget is finalized.

The application requires a budget and a budget narrative in your application. All expenses explicitly related to operating your summer program are to be represented in the budget. The budget must match the full grant amount.

We have provided a budget worksheet for your planning purposes. You can make a copy by clicking here and share with your team that is working on the application together.

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)

The timing of your program depends on the curriculum you choose. All programs must meet these minimum requirements: at least 20 days of instruction, including an average of 90 minutes per day of ELA and 90 minutes per day of math, along with at least 8 hours of total programming per day.

If using a school-selected curriculum:

Schools that select their own curriculum for ELA and math have full flexibility to determine program dates, as long as the minimum requirements are met. You are encouraged to design a schedule that meets the needs of your students and families. This may include innovative approaches such as offering academic instruction Monday through Thursday, with Fridays focused on enrichment or field trips, for example.

If using the Lavinia RISE Curriculum:

Student programming must begin after both leader and teacher training are complete. Two training windows will be available in the spring or early summer, with specific dates announced soon.

The Lavinia RISE Curriculum includes 20 days of structured lesson plans, including 90 minutes per day of ELA and 90 minutes per day of math. Beyond these academic components, schools are encouraged to design schedules that reflect the needs and interests of their communities. Learn more about Lavinia RISE curriculum and training at their website for Summer Discovery.

If these training dates do not align with your program’s calendar, please reach out to your assigned program support specialist or email: summerdiscoveryWA@buildingimpact.co.

This time must include:

• A minimum average of 90 minutes of instruction per day of ELA and 90 minutes of instruction per day of math
• Enrichment activities
• Before- and/or after-care, as needed

Schools have flexibility in how they structure the day, as long as the total daily schedule meets or exceeds 8 hours and includes both academic and enrichment components.

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

The Lavinia RISE Curriculum is a comprehensive, research-based summer learning program developed by the Lavinia Group. It is designed to address unfinished learning in literacy and math while supporting student growth through engaging, standards-aligned instruction.

Schools that choose to use Lavinia RISE will receive the full curriculum and all supporting resources at no cost.

The curriculum includes:

• 20 days of literacy and math instruction (aligned to priority standards)
• Ready-to-use lesson materials and planning resources for teachers
• Pre-program training for teachers and site leaders
• Weekly professional development for instructional staff
• Tools for progress monitoring, differentiation, and caregiver communication

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

Summer Discovery aims to make participation accessible for all schools. The Lavinia RISE curriculum is provided as a turnkey solution that meets all program requirements and ensures instructional quality.

The curriculum includes 185 minutes of literacy and math instruction each day, built specifically for summer learning. It incorporates current research on the science of reading, mathematical reasoning, and accelerated learning strategies. It also allows for differentiation to meet the unique needs of students entering grades 1 through 9.

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

Schools that opt into the Lavinia RISE curriculum are expected to fully implement the program as designed, including the provided training and instructional materials. This ensures alignment with the model and consistency in student experience.

With that said, schools are welcome to supplement the curriculum. For example, you might choose to:

• Add a STEM block
• Incorporate a blended learning component
• Include enrichment experiences aligned to your students’ interests

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

Lavinia RISE is designed to align with the latest research on the science of reading by combining explicit demonstration and practice in foundational skills with deep comprehension work.

Key features include:

• A phonics curriculum that provides direct, explicit, and sequential instruction
• Reading comprehension components such as Insight Humanities™ and Close Reading for Meaning™, which build background knowledge, vocabulary, and inference skills
• Access to varied genres and text types to promote rich literacy experiences

Students develop word recognition and language comprehension skills through guided practice, structured routines, and diverse reading opportunities.

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

The Lavinia RISE curriculum is designed to support a wide range of learners, including English Language Learners (ELLs) and students with unique educational and Special Education needs, through a range of supports and instructional strategies, including:

• Partner and group discussions to promote oral language development
• Phonics instruction that includes direct, explicit, sequential, and multisensory routines to support foundational reading skills.
• Access to information in various modalities, such as text, diagrams, etc.
• Content-area vocabulary development
• Structured notebooks and tools to help students organize their thinking
• Modeled fluent reading through read-alouds and partner reading

In addition, pre-program training includes guidance on how to adapt instruction in one-on-one and small-group settings to meet individual student needs.

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

Leader Training:
Site leaders participate in a 3-hour live virtual session before Teacher Training Week. This training provides a comprehensive overview of the Lavinia RISE program and equips leaders with strategies to support educators and manage high-impact summer instruction.

Teacher Training:
Teachers receive in-depth pre-program training that covers curriculum content, instructional routines, and strategies for differentiation. Weekly professional development sessions are also provided throughout the summer to support ongoing instructional excellence.

Training dates will be held in May or June of 2026, with an option to request the training dates that work best for your school(s) in the application. .

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

Once the summer program begins, educators will have access to weekly live professional development sessions and office hours facilitated by a Lavinia Group coach.

These sessions are designed to support:

• Intellectual preparation
• Data analysis and progress monitoring
• Differentiation strategies
• General program questions and implementation support

Educators can join sessions live via Zoom or access content asynchronously through self-paced learning modules on the Lavinia RISE Platform.

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

Teachers will need a digital device (such as a computer) to access curriculum materials, planning tools, and professional development resources via the Lavinia RISE Platform, the program’s online learning management system.

This platform serves as the central hub for all instructional resources and educator supports throughout the summer.

Students do not need access to devices to participate in the Lavinia RISE program. The curriculum is designed for in-person instruction using print-based materials and interactive teaching strategies.

Please visit the Lavinia Summer Discovery page for more information.

Teachers providing ELA and math instruction must be qualified to teach those subjects during the school year. Please apply the same standards your school or district uses to determine a teacher’s qualifications for specific grade levels and content areas.

Each site is also responsible for screening all staff and partners who will work with students. Costs related to background checks or other screening processes may be included in your program budget.

Please note:

• If your school chooses to use the Lavinia RISE curriculum, teachers are required to attend three days of pre-program training.
• Teachers are also encouraged to participate in weekly 45-minute professional development meetings during the program.

Be sure to account for both instructional and professional development time when building your teacher compensation plans and budget.

We know that unique and engaging enrichment opportunities help increase student interest, attendance, and enjoyment—while offering experiences that go beyond the traditional school year.

Because these are full-day programs, enrichment should be thoughtfully integrated into the daily schedule. Schools have flexibility to design enrichment in ways that reflect their community’s interests and strengths.

Examples of enrichment activities may include:

• Field trips, career exploration, community-based learning, or service projects
• Student choice in activities to promote engagement and autonomy
• STEAM, digital literacy, visual and performing arts, or physical education
• Partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) to co-deliver programming
• Programming in non-traditional learning spaces when feasible

Each site is responsible for ensuring that enrichment activities are high-quality, structured, and engaging for students. The per-student funding amount includes resources to support these components.

Many successful programs follow a model where the school leads academic instruction and the CBO delivers enrichment programming in the afternoon. Partnerships like these can help create a well-rounded, engaging full-day experience for students.

Whenever possible, schools should aim to have partnerships confirmed and vendors selected before submitting their application.

In the application, schools (or their districts) must include documentation outlining the partnership agreement. Acceptable forms of documentation include:

• A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
• A Contract for Services
• A Letter of Intent from the community partner

The school or district will be responsible for managing the CBO as a contractor under the terms of the agreement provided.

These assessments are designed to:

• Help educators tailor instruction during the program
• Provide program leaders with data on student growth and overall program impact

Because Summer Discovery is a 20-day program, the assessments focus on a targeted set of priority standards in ELA and math. This narrowed focus allows teachers to engage students in deeper learning and meaningful skill development over the course of the summer.

Assessment format and logistics:

• Assessments include a mix of multiple-choice and open-response questions
• Estimated time: 40–60 minutes for ELA and 40–60 minutes for math
• Assessments are untimed
• An assessment platform will be provided to all schools
• Training on administration and scoring will be offered in advance of the program

Learn more about the RISE assessment overview and design >

These assessments are essential for measuring student growth and evaluating the impact of the program. They are provided at no cost to schools and are a required component of Summer Discovery participation.

• Administer both assessments in a single day, or
• Spread them over two days (e.g., ELA on Day 1 and math on Day 2)

To capture the most accurate growth data, the post-assessments should be administered during the final week of the program. This timing allows teachers enough time to score and review the results before the program concludes.

Schools may choose to administer additional assessments to meet internal goals or district requirements, but these would be in addition to (not in place of) the required Summer Discovery assessments.

A final report, sharing enrollment numbers, daily attendance and pre-and post-surveys, will be due at the end of the program.

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

• End of Program Final Budget Template
• School Survey
• Summer Discovery Attendance Tracker
• Administration of student/staff/family surveys
• Potentially participating in and/or helping to organize family and student focus groups

As part of this effort, participating schools will be asked to:

• Sign a data-sharing agreement
• Submit additional documentation about program implementation

Requested data may include:

• Student names and IDs
• Demographic information (e.g., race/ethnicity, free lunch status, campus)
• School-year attendance rates
• Standardized assessment performance (e.g., state assessments, NWEA, i-Ready)

All grantees are expected to participate in the evaluation to support a stronger understanding of student outcomes and strengthen future program offerings. Data will be handled securely and used solely for program research and improvement purposes.