The Summerbridge site in New Orleans was 1 of 5 sites selected in 2001 to participate in a teacher retrospective evaluation conducted by Stanford University. The study, entitled “The Effects of Teaching at Summerbridge,” concluded that “the experience of teaching at Summerbridge changed the teacher’s understanding of such complex issues as ethnicity (84%) and social class (97%) and promoted social consciousness (83%) and long-term commitment to working for children from limited opportunity backgrounds.” Further, the impact of the program was evident in the finding that “fully 73% percent of the former teachers worked in some educationally-related job or internship after teaching at Summerbridge.”

Simultaneously as the staff collected data on the current students, families and teachers, a longitudinal study conducted through Stanford University surveyed Summerbridge students during the two years after completing the program and compared them to students who have not participated in the program. With two years of data, these are the preliminary results:



Summerbridge students enroll in rigorous college prep math and science classes more often than their non-Summerbridge comparison group

Completion of advanced mathematics courses in high school has been shown to be especially predictive of college enrollment. Most of the 8th and 9th grade Summerbridge students and over 80 percent of 10th graders were enrolled in a mathematics course that put them on track for college (completed Algebra I in either 8th or 9th grade). Nearly one quarter (22 percent) of 9th grade Summerbridge students and over half (61 percent) of 10th graders were enrolled in an advanced science course (physical science, chemistry, or physics) even though in many schools science is not required for both 9th and 10th graders. In addition, among 9th graders, students who attended Summerbridge were more likely to be enrolled in a foreign language and to be carrying a full academic load that kept them “on track” for meeting college admission requirements.



Summerbridge students spent more time on homework especially math homework

Consistent with the Summerbridge emphasis on the importance of homework, Summerbridge students showed larger increases than the comparison group in time spent on all homework. In addition, former Summerbridge students increased time spent on mathematics homework whereas the comparison group did not show increases.



Summerbridge students participate in more extracurricular activities

Summerbridge also appears to have influenced students’ participation in extracurricular activities, especially in community service activities. Students reported being involved in a wide array of extracurricular activities, with 83 percent engaged in two or more activities. The extent of extracurricular activities was assessed for two reasons. First, students who engage in such activities are more connected to school and less likely to drop out than students who are not engaged in such activities. Second, colleges look for well-rounded applicants who engage in positive activities during their discretionary time.



Summerbridge students maintain strong GPA’s, consistent school effort and educational aspirations during the critical transition from middle school to high school

Students who attended Summerbridge showed smaller decrements in GPA in the transition between middle school and high school. Similarly, students who had contact with Summerbridge teachers and directors as alumni showed no or little decline in both school effort and expectations for educational attainment relative to other students.