BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Thursday marked the final day of Baltimore City Schools' Academic Recovery Program for middle and high school students.

"Our kids have a big problem with the learning because some may be a grade, two, maybe even three reading levels behind," teacher Lionel Pearson said. "Is that our fault? It's everybody's fault."

Project Pneuma, a program known for its mentoring of city youth, partnered with city schools' middle school recovery program. According to city schools, the six-week summer school program enrolled nearly 200 students who were either "struggling or disengaged."

"I fell a good amount behind. The last school year, I was struggling. My social skills were off," said 14-year-old Morgan Bond. "My reading comprehension skills, like when we had to read text and answer questions, I find myself looking at the text and questions, like the questions are crazy."

In May, Baltimore City Schools announced failing students would not be held back, citing the interruptions in learning due to COVID-19.

"For the last six weeks, we have been redefining what our kids have lost due to the pandemic," Pearson said.

The Academic Recovery Programs were available at no cost to city schools students this summer.

The first day of school for Baltimore City Schools is Aug. 30.