As numerous studies from 1906 on have confirmed, children lose ground in learning if they lack opportunities for building skills over the summer. Nonetheless, summer learning loss comes up but rarely in the national discussion of education reform. By the end of summer, students perform on average one month behind where they left off in the spring. These losses are cumulative and can lead to significant consequences later in life. Based on research and field evidence, the National Summer Learning Association (NSLA) has developed nine principles of the New Vision for Summer School (NVSS) designed to provide comprehensive, engaging summer programming that transcends the remedial and punitive model of the past. These nine principles, along with numerous opportunities for constructive policymaking to make summer an asset rather than a liability are discussed in this article.