We know summer learning programs are changing due to COVID-19. What’s not changing is the need to support parents in keeping their children learning all summer long.
Over summer students can lose academic gains made during the school year, and research shows that summer learning losses can accumulate each year, influencing reading proficiency and high school graduation rates. Especially for children from economically-disadvantaged families, more than 80 percent lose reading skills over the summer. As a result of COVID-19, this loss may be exacerbated for children with fewer resources such as those without access to computers and internet.
The North Carolina Early Childhood Foundation’s 2020 Summer Learning Toolkit, while not adapted specifically for COVID-19, provides plenty of remote ways to engage parents in summer learning through social media, texts, newsletters, a fact sheet and phone calls. Our toolkit was first created two years ago with input and advice from NC parents about information and tips to support their efforts to ensure their children keep learning throughout the summer.
Summer learning matters now more than ever. Download the toolkit here.