Page 10    |    ©The Children’s Reading Foundation with permission from Lynn Fielding

 ©The Children’s Reading Foundation with permission from Lynn Fielding    |    Page 11

Perception: Summer gain/loss made the list. We have never 
heard of summer gain. 

FACT: 

In a recent high intervention reading 

study of 5,357 students in first, second and 
third grades, 25 percent of students made 
summer reading gain, 22 percent made no 
change, and 53 percent lost reading growth. 
Students most likely to lose growth are those 
who made accelerated growth during the 
school year (most likely those in the most 
intensive catch-up programs). The most 
promising answer to the wide variations in 
summer loss, especially among students 
who are furthest behind, is finding ways to 
engage parents with their children to increase 
time-on-task for reading during the summer 
months. 

Perception: The data makes sense. Reading seems to be at the 
root of major academic improvement, but catching kids up takes 
money. Where can we get more money?

FACT: 

More money would be nice but that isn’t realistic. Boards, superintendents, 

principals and teachers have to cut and reallocate. You have to cut less important 
activities and curriculum to divert existing funding and instructional time to your primary 
academic skill.

Students with(in)

# of  

Students

Average  

School Gain 

(RIT)

Average  

Summer Gain 

(RIT)

Overall  

Gain  
(RIT)

Summer Gain

1,368

12.1

7.8

19.9

Summer Loss

2,829

21.0

-10.9

10.1

No Gain/Loss

4

1,160

7.8

0.1

7.9

4

 1.159 students who gain/loss was zero or ± 2 RIT points, which is the standard error of the test.

...Continued from page 7

              In Conclusion...

What You Can Do To Help Students Succeed

PREVENTING READING, MATH

& SCIENCE FAILURE

IF YOU ARE IN CHARGE OF PREVENTING READING, MATH AND 
SCIENCE FAILURE IN YOUR SCHOOL, DISTRICT OR STATE, WHERE 
DOES THE DATA SUGGEST YOU SHOULD START? READING!

From birth to age 5 a 
child learns at a speed 
unmatched the rest of 
their life, and the skills 
they learn at an early age 
develop the strong brain 
connections that help 
them thrive and succeed 
in school.

Schools aren’t alone. 
An effective model of 
how school districts can 
partner with existing 
community entities to encourage parents to read 20 minutes each day with their child is 
available at: 

www.ReadingFoundation.org

. 

In addition to the local Reading Foundation chapters, school districts should also consider 
focusing on early learning from birth to age five, and redirecting preschool and Head 
Start programs toward the basic academic skills children should achieve before entering 
kindergarten. This can be accomplished through the READY! for Kindergarten™ program. It 
provides training and tools for parents and caregivers, equipping them to help babies and young 
children develop strong brain connections that help them succeed in school. To learn more 
about appropriate age-level learning targets for children at each age from birth to five, and more 
info on starting a READY! program, visit the READY! website at: 

www.ReadyForKindergarten.org

.

®