How Summer School Prevents Learning Loss

Many parents may not see summer school as a necessity. However, research is consistently showing that over the course of summer break, kids are losing some of the critical knowledge they learned previously.

One study showed that when students are given a test at the beginning and end of their summer vacation, they score significantly lower at the end of the break, even though it was the same test. Others have found that students typically lose two months’ worth of learning during the summer months. This is what experts call “summer learning loss.”

Engaging children in learning—whether through formal summer school courses or informal learning opportunities—is essential to minimizing the effects of summer learning loss. Summer school courses are perhaps the best prevention for learning loss, particularly if students need extra reinforcement of difficult concepts or need to recover credits.

What’s more, a report by Bristol University found that attending summer school can help students get into top universities.

Researchers uncovered a “summer school effect,” which reveals that more than three-quarters (76 percent) of children who get into a summer school then go on to an elite university, compared with just over half (55 percent) of children with a similar academic and social background who did not apply for a summer school place.

Other reasons for sending a student to summer school include catching up or recovering credits, having structure in their schedule, boosting GPA and confidence, and getting ahead.

K¹²offers a variety of online high school summer school courses, which include electives as well as core and credit recovery classes.

Students in all grades can stay engaged in learning with online games and activities available in the Games & Activities Center.

Image credit: Jessica Cross / CC 2.0