New York City families: Applications open on Tuesday for the city’s free youth summer program for children in kindergarten through eighth grade.

The Summer Rising program, which blends academic instruction with enrichment activities, has been popular among families since it first emerged in 2021 as a means of re-engaging kids during the COVID pandemic.

The city program will once again offer free summer programming to about 115,000 children — with any New York City child enrolled in grades K-8 eligible to apply, including those who attend charter and private schools.

Though Summer Rising has continued to see high demand, the program has faced some scrutiny in recent months, after a Chalkbeat report showed attendance during the academic portion of the day averaged roughly 60% in 2022 and 2023 — a marked drop from the nearly 90% attendance seen during the school year. (For most students, attendance in the free summer program is optional.)

Once propped up by federal COVID relief money, the program, which cost roughly $230 million last year, relies on city dollars to sustain operations.

Still, for some families the program has meant free child care over the summer months, as well as an opportunity to help bridge the gap between academic years, particularly amid concerns that students can regress academically while out of school for the summer. Families have largely reported positive experiences on city surveys, according to Education Department officials.

Jenna Lyle, a spokesperson for the Education Department, said the program would evolve this year based on feedback from school communities.

“We are so excited to welcome back our students for another fun summer of academics and enrichment,” she said in a statement. “This year, we’re enhancing the program by weaving in more enrichment activities during the academic day.”

Here’s how families can apply for Summer Rising this year:

Read the full article about Summer Rising by Julian Shen-Berro at Chalkbeat.