About Summer Learning Labs
Since the summer of 2021, Summer Learning Labs (SLL) has provided high-quality academic and enrichment programming to help thousands of students accelerate their learning. SLL was created by The Mind Trust and United Way of Central Indiana to combat learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, The Mind Trust assumed full program management and partnered with the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) to replicate the program to more regions across the state through the Expanding What Works grant program.
The program began with 38 sites in Indianapolis and served around 3,000 students. In 2026, SLL served nearly 12,000 students across 117 sites in 36 cities. Learn more about 2026 sites and partners here.
Empowering Local Community Organizations and Schools
In each region, anchor partners serve as the principal program coordinator, recruiting local site partners, managing hiring and training of qualified staff, and ensuring sites follow core program principles. The Mind Trust is the anchor partner for Indianapolis sites. Outside of Indianapolis, the organization provides technical support and guidance on SLL administration to anchor partners who lead the program in their regions.
All Summer Learning Labs follow three core principles:
A focus on acceleration: The English Language Arts (ELA) and math curriculums are aligned to Indiana state standards and designed to give students material that prepares them for the next grade level. Created by Lavinia Group, the curriculum was developed to accelerate learning in each subject over a five-week time period.
Reaching highest-need students: SLL removes barriers to impactful, safe, and fun summer programming. The majority of sites are free to attend and many offer breakfast and lunch each day. Maintaining program elements that help working families over summer break is an essential commitment for anchor partners.
Community and school partnerships: Community partners work alongside districts and schools to offer SLL. Community centers, churches, and youth-serving nonprofits serve as site locations in multiple SLL regions. Schools and districts are not burdened with the task of curriculum development, allowing them to efficiently implement high-quality summer programming. This model allows for greater program reach and uses a collaborative approach to learning to reach as many students as possible.
”Once again, the Summer Learning Labs are showing what is possible when schools and communities work together to support student learning with high-quality curriculum and consistent progress monitoring.”
-Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education
Measurable Impact on Student Learning
Explore our reports to learn more about the academic impact, demographics, and history of Indy Summer Learning Labs and the growth of the program to serve students statewide.
Highlights from the 2025 Academic, Enrollment, and Program Report include:
Program-wide enrollment gains: Summer Learning Labs served more than 12,000 students in summer 2025.
Academic impact: Participating students saw a 25 percentage point learning gain in reading and a 24 percentage point learning gain in math.
Statewide reach: Summer Learning Labs served students at 145 locations across 37 cities in Indiana.
BGC Summer Learning Labs
Indy Summer Learning Labs
Northwest Summer Learning Labs
Southeast Summer Learning Labs
Wabash Summer Learning Labs
BGC Summer Learning Labs
Indy Summer Learning Labs
Northwest Summer Learning Labs
Southeast Summer Learning Labs
Wabash Summer Learning Labs
Indy Summer Learning Labs
Indy Summer Learning Labs
Indy Summer Learning Labs
Family Feedback and Program Satisfaction
Summer Learning Labs values the feedback of all stakeholders, especially students and families. Across the state, families had an overwhelmingly positive experience.
The stats below are from surveys given to families across all Summer Learning Lab sites in summer 2025.
96% of families surveyed felt SLL met their expectations for improving their child’s reading skills.
94% of families surveyed felt SLL met their expectations for improving their child’s math skills.
92% of families surveyed plan to enroll their child in the program next summer.
95% of families surveyed rated their child’s overall experience with SLL as good or excellent.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Summer Learning Labs is a five-week, free, and high-quality summer learning experience filled with fun and enrichment activities.
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Summer Learning Labs are designed for rising 1st through 9th graders in Indiana.
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All Summer Learning Labs use Lavinia Group’s RISE summer learning curriculum. The RISE K-2 literacy curriculum fosters confidence and a love of learning through an interactive approach. As students move beyond the foundational skills emphasized in earlier grades, ELA instruction transitions to strengthening comprehension and analytical skills. This shift recognizes that students need to decode words accurately, engage deeply with the meaning of texts, and develop the ability to think critically about their reading. The math curriculum maintains a uniform structure across all grade levels, focusing on two core components: story problems and routines.
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Locations are available statewide. Visit anchor partner regions in the main menu to find information on current locations.
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in 2026, all Summer Learning Labs will be free to attend for the five weeks offered in each region. Some locations may change a fee for before- or after-care or for program dates outside of the five weeks. Check with your chosen location to learn more.
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Summer Learning Labs run for 5 weeks during summer break. Dates for Summer Learning Labs vary by program, with all SLL programming taking place between May-July. Visit the anchor partner locations in the main menu to learn more about this summer’s program dates.
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Yes, each Summer Learning Labs program provides free lunch for students as part of their full-day program, with many also offering free breakfast and snacks.
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In 2021, Indy Summer Learning Labs (ISLL) was created by The Mind Trust and United Way of Central Indiana to combat the significant learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, The Mind Trust assumed full program management and partnered with the Indiana Department of Education to replicate ISLL to four regions across Indiana through the Expanding What Works grant program. Summer Learning Labs (SLL) encompass every program region that adheres to the core principles of Indy Summer Learning Labs. In each region, approved anchor partners serve as the principal program coordinators, recruiting site partners, ensuring proper staffing, and are responsible for overall program management in their service area. There are Summer Learning Labs programs in many communities across Indiana. The Mind Trust provides technical assistance and oversight for all anchor partners to ensure program fidelity and successful implementation. The Mind Trust also continues to serve as the Indianapolis anchor partner.
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Expanding What Works is the name of the Indiana Department of Education’s grant initiative to expand Indy Summer Learning Labs to other parts of Indiana.