Summer achievement gain/loss effects on student learning

The ETS report shows that “minority and low-SES students grow less academically over the summer.”   Interestingly enough, it also reported that High SES students actually gained during summer months.  Neither these losses nor these gains can be attributed to public schools.   However, public schools will be held accountable for the losses, since those students will have more catching up to do next fall and will gain less during the year than they might otherwise. 

“Results from typical accountability testing systems, which measure change from one year to the next, mix learning that occurs in school with learning that occurs during the summer. Thus, schools are held accountable for not only the achievement of their students while in school, but also for the achievement of their students that accrues during the summer, over which they have no control.”  (Emphasis added)

A 1996 synthesis of 39 studies, and a meta-analysis performed on the 13 most recent studies, concluded that, “the summer loss equaled about one month on a grade-level equivalent scale.  Middle-class students appeared to gain on grade-level equivalent reading recognition tests over summer, while lower-class students lost on them.”

Harris Cooper, et al., “Effects of Summer Vacation on Achievement Scores: A Narrative and Meta-Analytic Review,” Review of Educational Research, Fall 1996, Vol. 66, No. 3, p. 227.

Summer gains in reading by Family SES showed a –1.90 for Low SES, +4.12 for Mid SES, and +46.58 for High SES; confirming the socio-economic component once again.

Karl L. Alexander, et al., “Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap,” American Sociological Review, v72, April 2007