This "Fastback" provides suggestions for expanding or developing an academic summer program, which is an educational strategy that uses a program evaluation to achieve specific goals or outcomes designed to serve a selected student population in a school or community setting during the summer. Although no single model exists for these programs, a number of factors or variables that contribute to success are evident. High-quality programs meet nonnegotiable criteria, such as: safety, good supervision, and cleanliness, as well as negotiable criteria, such as: parent participation, documentation of results, inservice training for staff, avoidance of overlapping services, interagency cooperation, and longevity in the community. Some of the key components of effective programs, include students and staff, recruitment, and funding. Good programs have a focused and articulated vision that recognizes the value of diverse backgrounds, have a solid organizational structure, boast dedicated staff, hold high expectations for students, and have workers who exhibit caring and trust. Logistics also play an important role in any program's success, and various types of programs, general management, risk management, and scheduling are covered. A final section looks at evaluation and its importance to the process. (RJM)