(INDIANAPOLIS) - Free summer reading and math instruction is returning across Indiana through the Summer Learning Labs program.
The five-week program is open to students entering grades one through nine after summer break and combines daily academic instruction with enrichment activities.
State education leaders say nearly 12,000 students statewide are expected to participate this year at no cost to families.
The program provides daily reading and math lessons taught by licensed teachers and is designed to help students continue academic growth during the summer months.
State officials say results from last summer showed double-digit percentage point proficiency gains in both reading and math after just five weeks of instruction.
This year's major anchor partners include the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Northern Indiana Corridor, The Mind Trust in Indianapolis, CAST in southeast Indiana and the Wabash County YMCA.
Program dates vary by region, with some sites beginning in late May and others running into mid-July.
Families can find more information through the Summer Learning Labs website.