Summer Learning Loss

Summer learning loss also known as the "summer slide" or achievement loss is the loss of learned information that children experience over summer vacation. Three months of reading progress is lost each summer, and this loss is cumulative over time. By the end of the fifth-grade children can be three years behind their classmates if nothing is done.

All children can experience this loss, but it is much more prevalent in lower social and economic children, and those of different ethnic and racial backgrounds.

This loss happens every year and is compounded which creates a higher loss level through their entire educational career.

Every community experiences this loss, although it is higher in lower economic communities and rural communities.

Children need ongoing opportunities to learn and practice essential skills to prevent the loss of that information until it can become a permanent part of their knowledge base.