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As we think about going back to school, or as we start planning our summer learning programs, it’s essential for administrators to understand the impact a long break from regular school days has on young students. By the time they reach fifth grade, those significantly affected by summer learning loss may be as much as 2.5 to 3 years behind their peers.
Summer learning loss can compound year after year, shaping long-term academic trajectories and affecting school-wide performance. The phenomenon, often referred to as the “summer slide” or “summer slump,” disproportionately affects students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, who may have fewer opportunities for enriching summer experiences.
The losses can vary, but research consistently shows that summer break takes a heavy toll on essential skills. Summer math loss statistics indicate that the average student loses 25-34% of their school-year progress, while summer literacy loss statistics reveal setbacks of 17-28% in prior school-year gains.
As a principal, understanding the nuances of summer learning loss statistics allows you to make strategic decisions, from designing summer bridge programs to equipping teachers with targeted intervention plans. Your role isn’t just about mitigating learning loss; it’s about creating pathways for accelerated growth when students return each fall.
This article brings together the most important summer learning loss statistics, insights, and actionable perspectives. We’ll break down the latest data on the summer slide, explore how it affects different student groups, and highlight ways your school can respond proactively, helping all students start the year strong and stay on track toward long-term success.
While the summer slide may sound like a temporary blip in academic progress, the statistics tell a much more serious story. The summer slump can shape student outcomes well beyond the following school year. Here are the most vital summer learning loss statistics.
Numerous studies have documented how learning takes a hit during the summer months. A landmark 1996 analysis combined data from 39 separate studies, concluding that “summer loss equaled about one month on a grade-level equivalent scale, or one-tenth of a standard deviation relative to spring test scores.”
This loss was most severe in subjects like math and spelling, and it grew more pronounced at higher grade levels — an important insight for principals overseeing K–8 schools that feed into high school accountability metrics.
Perhaps most troubling, students who fall behind during one summer are significantly more likely to compound those losses year after year, leaving them at a major disadvantage when they start middle or high school.
Related Reading: A Principal’s Guide to Learning Loss in 2025
When it comes to subject-specific setbacks, math is especially vulnerable. Research indicates that 70% to 78% of elementary students lose math knowledge over the summer, while 62% to 73% lose skills in reading.
The summer literacy loss statistics are also concerning. On average, students can lose up to two months of reading proficiency during summer break. This not only necessitates reteaching at the start of the school year but also affects broader literacy goals tied to standardized testing and long-term graduation rates.
Unfortunately, summer slide statistics do not affect different student groups equally. Children from lower-income households are more likely to experience the summer slump as they have fewer opportunities for structured learning. More specifically, these students are less likely to have access to books, technology, or enrichment activities such as visiting a museum.
As a result, the achievement gap between higher- and lower-income students grows wider each summer, compounding into middle and high school.
For principals in diverse or high-poverty districts, these statistics highlight the need for summer programming that specifically supports students who might otherwise slip further behind.
Summer learning loss also exacerbates inequalities for students with disabilities. Data shows that these students may experience a loss of 1.2 to 2.1 RITs per month over the summer, compared to just 0.4 to 0.8 RITs for their general education peers.
Without intentional planning, summer break can widen existing gaps, making it even harder for students with disabilities to meet IEP goals and grade-level benchmarks.
These sobering statistics make it clear that summer learning loss is neither new nor evenly distributed; however, in recent years, new factors have further shifted the landscape.
Researchers began to study the idea of summer learning loss as early as 1906, with more studies taking place in the second half of the century when the US standardized school calendars on a national level.
While the summer slump has been a concern for a long time, data emerging from the past few years reveals a deepening crisis. Summer slide statistics have been complicated by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, persistent educational inequities, and shifting student needs.
The combination of pandemic-related school shutdowns and summer learning loss was evident in fall 2021 test scores. Researchers from Brookings examined changes in math and reading test scores for 5.4 million US students in grades 3-8.
Average fall 2021 math test scores were 0.20 to 0.27 standard deviations (SDs) lower than for the same-grade peers in fall 2019. Reading scores were also down by 0.09 to 0.18 SDs — a drop described as “sizable” by education researchers.
For context, these declines are significantly larger than impacts seen from other large-scale school disruptions (including when students in New Orleans experienced a 0.17 SD drop in math after Hurricane Katrina).
Even more troubling, the gap between students in low-poverty and high-poverty schools widened sharply. During the 2020-21 school year, test-score gaps grew by approximately 20% in math (0.20 SDs) and 15% in reading (0.13 SDs), indicating that learning disruptions didn’t just pause progress, they actively deepened divides.
One bright spot was the implementation of summer learning programs. Data from FutureEd in 2023 indicated that more than 40% of school districts invested federal COVID-relief aid into summer learning programs. Even now, summer learning programs can be an integral part of long-term learning loss recovery.
Related Reading: Pandemic Learning Loss: A Review for 2025
Learning deficits from the pandemic and the summer slump persisted. The 2025 Education Recovery Scorecard reported that the average student was nearly half a grade level behind pre-pandemic achievement levels in math and reading. This statistic is based on spring 2024 national and state-level test score data.
Teacher perceptions reflect the presence of these deficits. In a 2024 survey by Progress Learning, only 31% of teachers “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that students entering the grade level they teach had retained what they learned from the previous year.
Respondents indicated that disruption of routine and a lack of structured learning opportunities were the top contributors to summer learning loss, with 71% of educators ranking these as among the top three issues.
As we look at 2025, there are both hopeful signs and persistent challenges. A recent report by AASA, The School Superintendents Association, found that an overwhelming 91% of superintendents believe summer programs are essential to achieving their districts’ strategic objectives, with 41% rating them as “very important.”
However, barriers remain. Superintendents cited scheduling conflicts as the biggest barrier to student participation in summer learning. Many families face parent-child schedule conflicts, obligations to other extracurricular activities, and a lack of transportation, making it difficult for students to attend.
Related Reading: How to Create the Ultimate Summer Math Program for Your Students
Despite these obstacles, there is a clear consensus: tackling summer learning loss is no longer optional. It is an integral component of safeguarding equity, boosting achievement, and supporting every student’s long-term success.
Summer learning loss is a significant contributor to long-term academic outcomes and achievement gaps. Here’s what every principal needs to know — and do — to turn the tide on the summer slump.
Research shows that summer programs are more effective when they use an evidence-based curriculum. Prioritize academic acceleration aligned with school-year standards and integrate frequent assessments to adjust instruction in real-time. Programs that blend math, literacy, SEL, and physical activity have shown the strongest results.
Use diagnostic and benchmark data to identify which students are most at risk for summer setbacks. Students performing below grade level, English learners, students with IEPs, and children from low-income families should be the first priority for summer program enrollment. This directly addresses the summer slide statistics that show how learning loss disproportionately impacts these groups.
Family participation is critical. Communicate the risks of summer learning loss in clear, compassionate terms, and showcase how summer programs can benefit their children. Emphasize the enrichment and social aspects of your program, as well as the academic enhancement.
Build your summer initiatives into your school improvement and strategic plans, so they’re funded and staffed consistently, even if external grant opportunities ebb and flow. This makes addressing the summer slump a reliable pillar of your school’s success strategy.
Related Reading: Learning Loss Recovery: District-Wide Strategies for Directors
Math & Movement is an evidence-based supplemental curriculum with kinesthetic learning materials aligned to state standards. Our program prioritizes physically active lessons in math, literacy, and SEL!
Summer learning programs are a proven way to change the summer slide statistics for schools. A study by the RAND Corporation found that students who attended voluntary, district-led summer learning programs entered school in the fall with stronger math skills than those who did not participate in the programs.
A meta-analysis of 37 studies on math-focused summer programs found a consistent positive effect on students. Those who participated in high-quality summer math programs experienced an average gain of +0.10 standard deviations in math achievement compared to peers not in the programs. This benefit was found for both low- and high-poverty areas.
Finally, another meta-analysis of 41 studies on summer reading interventions revealed that structured summer reading (whether it was at home or a school program) could substantially improve reading comprehension, especially for children from low-income backgrounds.
This research shows that school and district leaders can mitigate the effects of the summer slide and change their students’ academic achievement trajectories.
The summer slide, especially in conjunction with pandemic-related learning loss, is a pressing issue that undermines long-term achievement and equity. Left unchecked, the summer slide compounds year after year, leaving vulnerable students perpetually playing catch-up and principals grappling with persistent proficiency gaps, intervention overload, and increased pressure to meet accountability targets.
However, as a school leader, you have the power to rewrite this narrative. By embracing intentional, evidence-based strategies, you can transform summer from a period of regression into one of acceleration, ensuring every student returns to the classroom ready to thrive.
Math & Movement is an evidence-based supplement for your summer learning program that allows you to integrate academics and physical activity. Our interactive educational products, including floor mats and stickers, harness the power of kinesthetic learning to help students learn and practice skills while staying engaged and having fun.
Want to head deeper into the research and results behind Math & Movement? Explore our Program Data page to see how schools across the US are transforming student achievement with our kinesthetic learning strategies.
Our Summer Learning Kits include some of our most versatile materials for movement-based instruction that keep learning gains intact (and often advance them) during the summer months. With large, colorful floor mats, hands-on activities, and built-in professional development, these resources empower your entire staff to deliver a quality, evidence-based program that works to combat the summer slump.
Don’t follow the pattern of previous summer learning loss statistics. Embrace kinesthetic learning and bring Math & Movement to your school to create a lively, effective summer learning program.
The “summer slump” is another term for summer learning loss, also known as the “summer slide” for students. Summer learning loss is the loss of academic skills that occurs when students disengage from structured learning over summer break.
Summer learning loss statistics indicate that the average student loses 25-34% of their school-year math gains and 17-28% of their literacy gains during the following summer.
Yes, summer learning loss is a real thing. Researchers studied the idea as early as 1906. Today, 70-78% of elementary students experience summer losses in math skills and 62-73% lose reading skills.
Statistics on the summer slide include the following:
Yes, summer reading is effective. One meta-analysis found that structured summer reading (whether it was at home or a school program) could substantially improve reading comprehension over the summer, especially for children from low-income backgrounds.
Children from low-income families experience higher levels of summer learning loss. These students are less likely to have access to enrichment opportunities or structured educational activities over the summer.
Suzy Koontz, CEO and Founder of Math & Movement, has spent over 25 years helping students achieve academic success. She has created over 200 kinesthetic teaching tools adopted by schools nationwide and has authored over 20 books. As a sought-after national presenter, Suzy shares how movement can transform the way students learn.
Movement isn't just for recess
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