The Importance of Summer Learning
“To succeed in school and life, children and young adults need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills. This is especially true during the summer months.
Many Americans have a wonderful image of summer as a carefree, happy time when "kids can be kids,” and take for granted the prospect of enriching experiences such as summer camps, time with family, and trips to museums, parks, and libraries.
Unfortunately, some youth face anything but idyllic summer months. When the school doors close, many children struggle to access educational opportunities, as well as basic needs such as healthy meals and adequate adult supervision.
Did You Know?
- All young people experience learning losses when they do not engage in educational activities during the summer. Research spanning 100 years shows that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of the summer (White, 1906; Heyns, 1978; Entwisle & Alexander 1992; Cooper, 1996; Downey et al, 2004).
- Most students lose about two months of grade level equivalency in mathematical computation skills over the summer months. Low-income students also lose more than two months in reading achievement, despite the fact that their middle-class peers make slight gains (Cooper, 1996).
- More than half of the achievement gap between lower- and higher-income youth can be explained by unequal access to summer learning opportunities. As a result, low-income youth are less likely to graduate from high school or enter college (Alexander et al, 2007).
- Children lose more than academic knowledge over the summer. Most children—particularly children at high risk of obesity—gain weight more rapidly when they are out of school during summer break (Von Hippel et al, 2007).
- Parents consistently cite summer as the most difficult time to ensure that their children have productive things to do (Duffett et al, 2004). “
From: National Summer learning Association
Top Ten Free or low cost activities to do in CNY to keep your children learning this summer
- Visit Everson Museum of Art: call 474-6064 or www.everson.org
- Explore Onondaga County Libraries: call 435-1900 or www.onlib.org
- Visit Community Folk Art Gallery: call (315) 442-2230 or http://communityfolkartcenter.org/
- Attend SCSD summer school programs grades k-12: contact your school for details
- Visit Onondaga Historical Association: call 428-1864 or email www.cnyhistory.org
- Tour Beaver Lake Nature Center: call 638-2519 or BLNC@ongov.net
- Participate in Syracuse parks and recreation department’s programs and recreation centers activities: call 473-3330 or www.syracuse.ny.us/parks/
