Elevate [Math] is a 19-day in-person summer math program created by the Silicon Valley Education Foundation to help middle school students, who have struggled in math, achieve math proficiency, increase their interest in math, and develop a growth mindset.  

WestEd evaluated the Elevate [Math] program’s impact based on its implementation in 10 school districts near Silicon Valley (California) in the summers of 2019 and 2020. 

The evaluation report includes the following findings:  

  • Two years of participation in Elevate [Math] raised students’ probability of earning a passing grade and earning a B or higher in their math courses.  
  • The 2020 program participants experienced a slightly larger 1-year impact on course grades than did 2019 program participants. 
  • In comparison to nonparticipants, students who participated in Elevate [Math] for 2 years scored higher on the standardized math assessment after the second year. 
  • Compared to nonparticipants, grade 7 students who attended the Elevate [Math] program for two summers earned higher assessment scores and were more likely to earn a math grade of B or higher. 
  • Patterns of impacts on standardized math assessment scores and course grades were not consistent for other subgroups of students, including groups defined by student race/ethnicity and free or reduced-price lunch (FRPL) participation.