Summer+Reading

**Introduction to [|Preventing Summer Reading Loss] **

 Fall, for a reading teacher, is synonymous with testing. Although the process is meant to identify which students qualify for extra reading services, signs of “summer reading loss,” or regression in students’ reading achievement, are often discovered. Summer reading loss is not merely a figment of teachers’ imaginations, but instead a consequence of children not engaging with text, documented by researchers, that results in a compounded discrepancy of 1.5 to 2 years of achievement over the elementary years. Students living in poverty are particularly susceptible to the perils of summer reading loss, which are hypothesized to be the result of less access to texts and lower esteem for reading in the home environment. By investing in summer reading programs, school districts may prevent summer reading loss, which conversely saves the cost of reading support services during the regular academic year to regain the three months of achievement that students, on average, lose.

**Reflection ** I truly believe that the budgeting process should support instructional goals. Currently, in much of the state, educators "hope" that students will maintain their reading achievement over the summer months; however, researchers, such as Richard Allington, are beginning to share scientifically-researched ways of preventing reading loss over the summer. As part of the financial analysis of summer reading loss, I calculated the cost of salaries focused on supporting students in regaining their reading skills to be $333-$666 per student. Since researchers have identified that students who read five books over the summer are able to maintain reading skills, districts may begin to look at aligning budgets to support summer reading initiatives, at an overall cost savings. Since it is largely students living in poverty that are effected by summer reading loss, this is an issue of social justice that must be addressed to eliminate inequities among disadvantaged and advantaged students.

Administrative Standard #3; Content Guidelines J Administrative Standard #6; Content Guideline C