Summer Programs
Serving LA's youth since 1988 221+ programs 23,861 Unique children served
Summer 2026 ENROLLING SOON!
Who can join the summer program?
Summer enrollment is available at select LAUSD school sites. Families should check with their Site Coordinator for details at their school.
What activities are offered during summer?
Students participate in full-day enrichment that blends hands-on learning with summer fun. Activities can include arts, STEM projects, sports, cooking, outdoor play, field trips, and theme-based learning.
What are the program dates and hours?
Summer hours vary by site. Most programs operate for several weeks during June and July. Families will receive exact schedules from their school or Site Coordinator.
Summer Program Information
When the regular school year ends, LA’s BEST continues its commitment to student growth through the LA’s BEST Summer Learning Program.
Offered at select LAUSD elementary schools during summer break (in 2023, for example, it ran from June 13 to July 28 at 142 sites), this program is designed to keep children safe, healthy, active, and learning all summer long.
The summer program is completely free for families, providing full-day enrichment typically for several weeks in June and July. This ensures that children in the communities served have a positive place to go when school is out, a place where learning never stops, and fun never stops.
Enriching Activities All Summer
What does a day in the Summer Program look like? The program often runs approximately 6 to 8 hours a day, providing a full day’s worth of activities.
Summer Program Activities
Literacy and Language Arts
Literacy and Language Arts
Field Trips and New Experiences
Field Trips and New Experiences
Arts and Culture
Arts and Culture
Sports, Play, and Wellness
Sports, Play, and Wellness
STEM Adventures
STEM Adventures
Project-Based Learning and Themes
Project-Based Learning and Themes
Preventing Summer Learning Loss
Research shows that without engaging summer activities, children can lose progress made during the school year. In fact, kids from low-income families lose more than two months of reading achievement every summer on average, while their more affluent peers may even gain skills.
LA’s BEST tackles this “summer slide” head-on. The Summer Program mirrors the successful approach of the afterschool program, meaning children are involved in hands-on, project-based learning in subjects like language arts, math, science, and sports – but with the relaxed vibe of summer vacation.
By keeping young minds engaged in June and July, LA’s BEST helps students maintain and even improve their academic skills when they return to school in the fall.
LA’s BEST Near You
From San Pedro to Pacoima, and Venice to East LA, kids can stay right where they are when the last bell rings.
