TAMPA, Fla. — More students than ever before will need summer school this year to catch up from what experts say are learning losses from the pandemic.

Pandemic losses are only part of the reason why more students are being asked to attend summer school, according to Hillsborough County school officials.

“We have transitioned in the state of Florida to a new progress monitoring assessment,” said Chief Academic Officer for Hillsborough Schools Terry Connor. “And we are seeing an increase of students that are not reaching the levels of proficiencies that we have seen in the past.”

Connor said although Hillsborough Schools has more students needing summer school, it has more money than it ever has had before to expand summer learning programs, and offer new areas for students to explore.

This year, the district is expanding the number of STEM sites available to students, offering music camps, and brand new this year: theater camps.

“With COVID relief funds, we have significant amounts of money to invest in our summer learning programs,” Connor said. “We are hiring more staff, we are inviting more students to participate, whether it’s to catch up, whether it’s just to accelerate their learning, keep them engaged throughout the summer to avoid that summer slide. We are investing heavily in recruiting our high quality teachers to participate in the programs to offer those great experiences over the summer.”

Hillsborough Schools began sending summer school paperwork home in the past week.