In the wake of the pandemic, many districts have turned to summer school programs to combat declining achievement. A study by researchers from Harvard University, CALDER, NWEA, Educational Testing Service, and Dartmouth College found that students who attended summer school programs in 2023 improved their math scores.
The study analyzed programs in eight school districts serving majority Black and Hispanic students whose post-pandemic test scores fell as much or more than the national average. Programs typically ran 15 to 20 days for 4 to 9 hours per day, depending on the program, with teachers providing grade-level instruction to address gaps from the prior school year.
Comparing NWEA Growth Map scores from spring 2023 to fall, researchers found modest but significant math gains across all districts, but little to no improvement in reading. In two districts, reading scores declined. The researchers suggest one possible reason is that reading skills can develop outside of the classroom, while math learning is more dependent on direct instruction.
The researchers also compared the results to the previous summer. Results were similar across both summers, though 2023 participants were more often absent and received fewer hours of instruction. And in one district, students who attended both summers saw greater gains in math and reading than those who only attended in summer 2023, suggesting that consistent participation may yield greater benefits.
The researchers conclude that summer school—particularly for math—can be a viable, scalable option for raising student achievement, but should be paired with other strategies to address the pandemic’s persistent and uneven impacts on achievement.