Research brief
School’s in for Summer: A Scalable and Effective Post-Pandemic Academic Intervention
December 2025
Description
New research report looks at the effects of post-pandemic summer school on student achievement and district recovery, how program design and implementation aligned with recommended best practices, and how the scale and impact of summer school compared to other interventions, like tutoring.
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Tech Appendix for “From loss to recovery: Diverging paths and uneven gains across schools”
This is the technical appendix to the research brief titled, “From loss to recovery: Diverging paths and uneven gains across schools,” which examines two components of school recovery post-COVID pandemic to better understand recovery patterns.
Topics: COVID-19 & schools, Growth, High-growth schools & practices, Seasonal learning patterns & summer loss
From loss to recovery: Diverging paths and uneven gains across schools
This research brief examines two components of school recovery post-COVID pandemic to better understand recovery patterns. These include initial declines in average achievement and post-pandemic gains in average achievement across schools. By understanding these different recovery patterns, the brief offers insights to policy makers and leaders where to invest for long-term improvement and targeting support where it is needed most.
Topics: COVID-19 & schools, Growth, High-growth schools & practices, Seasonal learning patterns & summer loss
Lessons in resilience: A playbook for recovery from natural disasters
This research brief is a follow-up report to NWEA’s brief examining the impact of extreme weather disruptions to teaching and learning. This report offers practical strategies and recommendations to school districts for preparing for extreme weather events to recover faster and lessen the impact on students and teachers.
Topics: COVID-19 & schools, Growth, Seasonal learning patterns & summer loss
Post-Pandemic School Closure Trends: Schools Serving Black Students Disproportionately Closed
This NWEA white paper explores the impacts of permanent school closures on communities. Findings suggest that despite challenges facing districts and the increased rhetoric around closures, most districts have continued to keep schools open; however, when schools were permanently closed, all communities are not affected equally: high poverty and high percentage Black students are more likely to close.
Topics: COVID-19 & schools, Growth
Technical Appendix: MAP Growth Specialty School National Dashboard
This is the accompanying technical appendix to the MAP Growth Specialty School National Dashboard providing more details of the data and describing more fully the sample and methods used within the dashboard.
Products: MAP Growth
Topics: Growth
Technical appendix for “Hot test days, lower math scores: How heat affects student achievement”
This is the technical appendix to “Hot test days, lower math scores: How heat affects student achievement” research report that examines the impact of environmental temperatures on student performance in math and reading, and whether those effects are more extreme for students in high-poverty schools, where cooling conditions may be less reliable.
Products: MAP Growth
Hot test days, lower math scores: How heat affects student achievement
This NWEA research report examines the impact of environmental temperatures on student performance in math and reading, and whether those effects are more extreme for students in high-poverty schools, where cooling conditions may be less reliable.
Products: MAP Growth
