More than 700 Lake County students who took part in a statewide program aimed at preventing summer learning loss showed double-digit gains in math and reading.

Their success mirrored other Summer Learning Labs’ regional sites across the state, the Indiana Department of Education said last week.

More than 9,000 students took part in the program that provided free or low-cost math and reading instruction and enrichment activities.

Students took a pre-test and a post-test to measure their progress in the accelerated curriculum.

The Mind Trust, an Indianapolis-based education nonprofit which collaborated with the state education department, presented results to the State Board of Education Nov. 12.

Data showed all participants achieved a 26% increase in English/language arts proficiency and 24% in math.

Black students achieved a 25% increase in ELA proficiency and a 24% increase in math.

Latino students posted a 28% increase in ELA proficiency and a 27% increase in math.

The gains in the Northwest Region, overseen by the Urban League of Northwest Indiana and DHB & Associates, of Gary, showed even bigger improvement.

Of the 22 sites in Gary, Merrillville, Calumet Township and Hobart, Black students made up 72% of the participants and 76% qualified for the free or reduced lunch program.

Overall, the group posted a 32% learning gain in ELA and a 31% gain in math.

“It’s remarkable,” said Deborah Black, of DHB & Associates. “We really wanted to make sure our kids in Gary and the surrounding area received this support to accelerate their learning over the summer.”

She said only about 50% of the participants responded they enjoyed reading at the start of the program. At the end, 90% said they felt like stronger readers and 87% liked the books in the program for its cultural sensitivity, she said.

About 91% said they felt stronger in math.

“Their team’s passion for excellent youth programming and dedication to the Summer Learning Lab model resulted in double-digit proficiency gains in math and reading for the students they served,” said Brandon Brown, CEO of The Mind Trust, in a statement.

Black said she’s shared the data with the participating school districts.

She said the small class sizes and individual attention made a difference.

“It’s very different than in a large classroom. Every morning, we did affirmations to these kids and told them they were smart. They believed it,” she said.

The state-financed program focused on more challenging accelerated learning and offered fun outside-the-classroom activities.

The Lake County kids took a trip to a ranch in Gary and rode horses, they kayaked in a lake and completed a nature hike.

“They could have been sitting home and it would have been learning loss,” said Black, who operates a private education tutoring facility at 3101 Broadway in Gary.

Katie Jenner, state secretary of education, said the department is focused on innovative ways to support students.

“The data presented today by The Mind Trust shows that the Summer Learning Labs are increasing academic achieve- ment, and that it is a model that is scalable for more communities across Indiana,” she said in a release after the State Board of Education meeting.

“By understanding what is working, we are able to ensure future funding is strategically deployed and invested in ways that best support students’ learning and growth,” she said.

Black said she hopes the program continues and she’s already working on a proposal for next summer.

Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune