COVID 19 and Summer School

Written By: Isabelle Saunders

By now, it’s a known fact that distance learning is not nearly as effective as being in a classroom. For students constrained to homebound learning through the 2020-21 school year in addition to the last quarter of last year, this has been a frustrating season fraught with unorthodox challenges. The majority of students feel that they haven’t learned much at all, and have lost over a year of information. How, comes the question, will they catch up for next year? 

Rising necessity of summer school 

In response, there has been a mass exodus to summer school. Though it’s currently too early to tell how many people will sign up this year, smaller-scale examples indicate the sheer volume of students who feel they have a shaky understanding of concepts learned from home. Montgomery, Alabama, for instance, has an average count of 2,500 for summer school in past years. This year, over 12,000 of their school system’s 28,000 students signed up. With public schools opening up for in-person learning, these students can finally get face-to-face education for the first time since March 2020. It may take some getting used to after so long at home, but students are elated to be back to normal. 

New Improvements 

And like most things this year, summer school is not going to be normal. This time, however, that means in a good way- across the country, the school system has given teachers hefty raises for all the hard work they’re going to have to put in this summer. The most recent federal relief package has also funneled several billion dollars into summer school programs. With these new fortifications, educators agree that summer school 2021 will be better and more intensive than past years by a wide margin in order to meet the significant needs of the student body. 

Meeting Need 

Though policies vary from state to state, many are prioritizing the needs of students who were hit the hardest. This includes disadvantaged, disabled, and ESL children. Some school districts have opted for mandatory summer school for those who have fallen behind. With the recent relief package, many districts are able to provide meals and transportation for their students. Though educators are not so naive as to think that better quality summer education will patch every learning gap acquired over distance learning or before it, they are optimistic that it will at least give students a much better understanding and send them into next year with a foundation. 

In the past, summer school has been stigmatized as a thing of doom to students, something many would never willingly do. Now, however, many students are making the mature decision themselves to catch up as much as possible. Teachers plan to meet students where they are, and take a more personalized approach depending on each child’s unique needs. Since they themselves battled the frustrations of online learning, they empathize with their struggling students. This year’s summer school, it seems, will be a thing to behold. 

Is summer school a good option for your child?

If you’re thinking about signing your child up for summer school, you should first evaluate how they performed over distance learning. If their grades and understanding dropped a worrying amount, summer school is a great, free option to mend the rips as much as possible before next year. Consult your child on the matter as well- for those who haven’t been in a classroom for over a year, it may be in their best interest to be socialized over the summer. This poses an edifying opportunity to meet new people, reconnect with school friends, and get a feel for being back in a solid school setting.

For more information, check out the link below: 

https://apnews.com/article/us-news-coronavirus-pandemic-education-health-a0416b3d43e08f49879b0f0e93010113

COVID-19 Summer Slide

COVID 19 made for a chaotic spring semester, with billions of children out of school all over the world. One of the most alarming effects of COVID 19 is the effect on subsequent school years. Since transitioning to distance learning and decreased social interaction, students are experiencing a significant decline in learning and retention due to school closures. Every summer student experiences what researchers call “summer slide.” According to a study done by the Collaborative for Student Growth, COVID-19 closures will amplify this summer slide and adversely affect student achievement for years to come. 

Learning loss affects every student in different ways, however, the predictions are learning loss is more significant in older students. Research indicates that steeper decline in math compared to reading. There is also a concern regarding learning gaps as students advance to the next grade level without mastering this semester's content. In addition, schools are not sure what next school year will look like regarding reopening which will amplify the gaps. 

Providing students with effective support this summer is imperative to alleviate the named “COVID-19 Slide”. Having students engage in enrichment programs and subject specific courses will help with learning loss. Assisting children in learning loss over the summer can be daunting but we are here to help. Below are three vital steps to assuring your student gets ahead and stays ahead this summer. 

Assess Student Needs 

Figuring out the individual needs for a student is imperative in assisting them over the summer with their academic needs. Each student is different and their content needs to be specific for them. As you start to devise an action plan for your student, think about what classes they struggled with, what classes they may need to brush up on before entering into middle or high school, and what difficult courses they will be taking next semester. Talk to your students, teachers and find the trend. 

Devise an Action Plan 

Once you have assessed what the student needs academically, come up with a plan for the summer. During the summer, students do not mimic the structure of school, sleep schedules and habits. To help with the lack of structure, devise an action plan with specific schedules and goals to keep the student on track. Utilize the S.M.A.R.T goal framework to help students create self improvement. 

Find Support 

COVID-19 has been difficult for all of us, there is no shame in asking experts for help to get your student ahead and stay ahead. Whether you are looking for academic remediation and enrichment over the summer to combat the “summer slide” or other supplementary services like standardized test prep, we are here to help! Head over to our services page or contact us for more information.