The Effects of Summer Vacation on Achievement Test Scores: A Narrative and Meta-Analytic Review

Abstract

A review of 39 studies indicated that achievement test scores decline over summer vacation. The results of the 13 most recent studies were combined using meta-analy tic procedures. The meta-analysis indicated that the summer loss equaled about one month on a grade-level equivalent scale, or one tenth of a standard deviation relative to spring test scores. The effect of summer break was more detrimental for math than for reading and most detrimental for math computation and spelling. Also, middle-class students appeared to gain on grade-level equivalent reading recognition tests over summer while lower-class students lost on them. There were no moderating effects for student gender or race, but the negative effect of summer did increase with increases in students' grade levels. Suggested explanations for the findings include the differential availability of opportunities to practice different academic material over summer (with reading practice more available than math practice) and differences in the material's susceptibility to memory decay (with fact-and procedure-based knowledge more easily forgotten than conceptual knowledge). The income differences also may be related to differences in opportunities to practice and learn. The results are examined for implications concerning summer school programs and proposals concerning school calendar changes.In 1994, the National Education Commission on Time and Learning (1994) urged school districts to develop school calendars that acknowledged (a) differences in student learning and (b) the major changes taking place in American society. The report reflected a growing concern about school calendar issues on the part of local school boards, administrators, and teachers, especially as the calendar relates to students at risk for academic failure.In the early years of formal schooling in America, school calendars were designed to fit the needs of particular communities (Association of California Support for this project was provided by

Implementing Indigenous Education Policy Directives in Ontario Public Schools: Experiences, Challenges and Successful Practices

“…Indigenous schooling initiatives may serve as an important resource for these families. The concept of "partial compensation" has been used to describe schools' ability to serve as "equalizers" by compensating for learning losses and different learning environments experienced outside of schools (Alexander, Entwisle, & Olson 2001, 2007Cooper, Nye, Charlton, Lindsay, & Greathouse, 1996;Davies & Aurini, 2013;Downey, von Hippel, & Broh, 2004). Schools may also have the potential to partially compensate in a different way by providing Indigenous focused learning opportunities that students may not have access to outside of schools.…”

The effect of summer on value-added assessments of teacher and school performance

“…Over the past 30 years several additional studies have been conducted on summer effects that mostly support Heyns' findings (Alexander et al, 2001;Borman & Boulay, 2004;Cooper et al, 1996). A meta-analysis by Cooper et al (1996) of 13 select studies found that, on average, students lose approximately one grade-equivalent month of achievement over summer, although the magnitude of the summer loss tends to be larger for math than reading.…”

“…Research has documented substantial differences in the rate at which children learn during the school year compared with over summer when they are not attending school (Alexander, Entwisle, & Olson, 2001;Borman & Boulay, 2004;Cooper et al, 1996;Heyns, 1978). In one of the first major studies on this topic, Heyns (1978) conceptualized student achievement as the result of innate ability and a mixture of three environmental influences: home, community, and school.…”

“…A meta-analysis by Cooper et al (1996) of 13 select studies found that, on average, students lose approximately one grade-equivalent month of achievement over summer, although the magnitude of the summer loss tends to be larger for math than reading. Moreover, the meta-analysis indicated that the summer loss is associated with SES, but only on reading.…”

“…This is a noteworthy deficit in the literature because VAA is typically based on annual gains in student achievement from one spring to the next, which includes the summer period when teachers and schools tend to have little control over what students do. This is problematic because research indicates that student achievement tends to drop over summer and that demographic achievement gaps primarily develop during summer (Alexander, Entwisle, & Olson, 2001;Cooper, Nye, Charlton, Lindsay, & Greathouse, 1996;Heyns, 1978). Hence, using annual spring-to-spring assessments may introduce variation originating from summer that biases VAA estimates.…”