Guest Post by Joe Mazza
Upcoming #PTchat: Parents & Teachers Discuss Ways to Combat Summer Learning Loss
Wed., 5/30 9PM EDT
As another school year comes to a close, we begin another summer. This week’s Parent-Teacher Chat (#PTchat) on Twitter takes a look at all the way we can keep the learning going through the summer.
Last year, The Rand Corporation released “Making Summer Count,” a comprehensive look at summer learning loss in children, grades 1-8. The report states that children, on average, lose one month of knowledge and skills between the end of the school year and the end of summer. Within the average, however, are distinct and disturbing differences.
Other takeaways from the Rand Report:
- Summer learning loss disproportionately affects low-income students, particularly in reading.
- While their higher-income peers, on average, post gains in reading, low-income students show losses at the end of the summer.
- Summer learning loss is cumulative and that, over time, these periods of differential learning rates between low-income and higher-income students contribute substantially to the achievement gap.
Join us Wednesday, May 30th at 9PM EDT as parents and educators discuss ways we can keep the learning going over the summer. This is a great week to invite parents and teachers from your school and community. The research shows us that every child is affected in some way.
A great resource to check out is Eric Sheninger’s Combatting the Summer Slide over on Connected Principals. Past #PTchats have been archived on Joe Mazza’s eFACE Today blog.