LEXINGTON, Ky. — The Kentucky Department of Education's Summer Boost program is set to reach students across the state this summer, with 35 sites in 34 school districts participating in the reading and mathematics initiative.

The 2026 Summer Boost: Reading and Mathematics Program represents a partnership between the Kentucky Department of Education and the Summer Food Service Program, designed to combat summer learning loss while providing free meals to children in low-income areas.

Each participating food service program will receive approximately 1,000 books to distribute at meal sites, alongside digital access to math games. The program aims to promote family engagement in reading and mathematics during the school break, targeting what research shows can be a critical period for student development.

According to education experts, children may lose up to three months of literacy and numeracy skills during the summer when they don't practice what they learned during the school year. The Summer Boost program provides families with resources to maintain academic progress during the out-of-school months.

Families interested in participating can contact their local summer food service department for information about meal sites and program details. The Summer Food Service Program provides free nutritious breakfasts, lunches, suppers and snacks to help children in low-income areas throughout the summer.

The Summer Boost initiative comes as Kentucky expands its summer meal offerings statewide. Last summer, nearly 11 million free meals were served across all 120 Kentucky counties, marking the first time the state achieved universal coverage of summer meal programs.