Research has shown that students lose academic skills over the summer. Students from low-income families tend to lose skills at a higher rate than those from middle- and high-income familes. This disparity widens the already present achievement gap. High-quality summer learning programs can help decrease summer learning loss. This topic is closely linked to time and learning.
Links:
- National Summer Learning Association – The National Summer Learning Association works to equip schools, communities, and families provide high-quality summer learning opportunities. This site contains numerous publications, research articles, and policy briefs pertaining to summer learning loss and summer learning programs.
- The Wallace Foundation – Summer and Extended Learning Time – The Wallace Foundation is working to help school districts and nonprofit organization develop expanded learning time opportunities for children from low-income households. This site contains research and resources concerning summer learning.
- Alabama State Department of Education Summer Reading Challenge – To help fight summer learning loss, the Alabama State Department of Education has launched the Summer Reading Challenge, which encourages students to pledge to read over the summer. This site provides links to help students find books by reading level and interests and to help students locate their local libraries.
