{"id":8327,"date":"2026-04-23T07:01:33","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T14:01:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www-cms.nwea.org\/blog\/?p=8327"},"modified":"2026-04-23T07:01:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T14:01:34","slug":"summer-learning-loss-what-we-know-what-were-learning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nwea.org\/blog\/2026\/summer-learning-loss-what-we-know-what-were-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer learning loss: What we know and what we\u2019re learning"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Concerns about students losing ground academically during summer break go back at least a century, with early evidence suggesting that summer contributed to large disparities in students\u2019 outcomes. This narrative spurred expansion of a variety of summer programs and interventions aimed at stemming summer learning loss.<\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll explain what summer learning loss is, share data on summer learning loss, explain which students are most likely to experience the summer slide, and offer some ideas for effective summer programming.<\/p>\n

What is summer learning loss?<\/h2>\n

The term \u201csummer learning loss\u201d\u2014often referred to as \u201cthe summer slide\u201d\u2014describes the loss of academic skills and\/or knowledge that occurs during the summer months when school is not in session. We will use both terms interchangeably in this article. Summer learning loss is documented as test score stagnation or declines during summer break by comparing scores on standardized tests given near the end of the spring semester and the start of the subsequent fall.<\/p>\n

Why the summer slide in education remains a topic of debate<\/h2>\n

In the last five years, there has been a spirited debate<\/a> about two long-standing questions about students\u2019 summers: 1) the degree to which test scores actually drop during the summer and 2) the degree to which summer break contributes to educational inequities. A new layer to this conversation is the response to the learning disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. School leaders and policymakers have used the summer break as a potential time for academic recovery. Summer programs have emerged as one of the most popular recovery strategies<\/a> offered by school districts, with an estimated $5.8 billion<\/a> of ESSER funds spent on summer programs by September 2024.<\/p>\n

With more focus on the impact of summer on students\u2019 learning and the potential to extend the school year, it is essential for educators, policymakers, and families to have an up-to-date understanding of the impact of summer breaks on students\u2019 learning patterns.<\/p>\n

Summer slide statistics show students\u2019 test scores flatten or drop during the summer<\/h2>\n

While our initial understanding<\/a> of summer learning loss dates back to studies conducted in the 70s<\/a> and 80s<\/a>, a recent collection of studies in the last six years provides a fresh look at students\u2019 learning across summers using four modern assessments (ECLS-K direct cognitive tests<\/a>, MAP\u00ae Growth\u2122, Star, and i-Ready) with large national (though not typically nationally representative) samples. See \u201cSchool\u2019s out: The role of summers in understanding achievement disparities,\u201d<\/a> \u201cWhen does inequality grow? School, summer, and achievement gaps,\u201d<\/a> \u201cEvidence of \u2018summer learning loss\u2019 on the i-Ready diagnostic assessment,\u201d<\/a> \u201cFindings on summer learning loss often fail to replicate, even in recent data,\u201d<\/a> and \u201cInequality in reading and math skills forms mainly before kindergarten: A replication, and partial correction, of \u2018Are schools the great equalizer?\u2019\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Figure 1 compares the test score patterns across four summer learning loss research studies. Three important patterns stand out:<\/p>\n

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  1. On average, test scores flatten<\/a> or drop<\/a> during the summer<\/a>, with larger drops typically in math than reading.<\/li>\n
  2. Studies using test scores from ECLS-K:2011<\/a> show that student learning slows down but does not drop over the summers after kindergarten and first grade. However, research using interim and diagnostic assessments (MAP<\/a> Growth<\/a>, Star, and i-Ready<\/a>) has found far larger summer drops across a range of grade levels.<\/li>\n
  3. Given the sizable differences in the magnitude of test score drops across tests, it remains uncertain whether summer slide should be considered a trivial issue or a serious educational challenge.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Figure 1.<\/strong> Comparison of summer slide estimates across datasets<\/em><\/p>\n

    \"TwoNote: All estimates are reported as the total average summer test score change in standard deviation (SD) units relative to the prior spring test score. Whenever possible, we report the estimate that adjusted scores for time in school prior\/after testing in the fall and spring. Sources: Author calculations based on data reported in ECLS-K:20210-11<\/a>, MAP Growth<\/a>, i-Ready<\/a>, and Star<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\n

    Who is most likely to show summer learning loss?<\/h2>\n

    While all three diagnostic assessments show some degree of summer slide in grades 3\u20138 on average, the research community lacks consensus about whether summers disproportionately impact certain students. Paul von Hippel<\/a> and colleagues<\/a> have pointed out that whether and how much summers contribute to educational inequalities (across students of different income levels, races, ethnicities, and genders) depends on the test used to study students\u2019 learning patterns. Nonetheless, we can present a few key patterns from this line of research:<\/p>\n