The COVID-19 Slide: Bigger than a Summer Slide?

The COVID-19 Slide: Bigger than a Summer Slide?

Research indicates that students backslide in the summer when they are out of school, or at least slow down, depending on the study.  For many students, the current COVID-19 situation promises a much longer “summer,” with more than the usual amount of forgetting.

An analysis by the Collaborative for Student Growth suggests a number of impacts of schools being closed.

• Most students will return in the fall, assuming schools open on time, with roughly a 30% loss or slowdown in reading and 50% loss or slowdown in math.
• The impact will be disproportionately large on students from lower SES, students with learning disabilities and ELL students — where the are long-standing “opportunity gaps.”
• The impact is typically larger on upper grades.

The analysis was based on data from 3rd through 8th grades who have taken the MAP (NWEA) growth assessments, looking at the growth trajectory by grade over the full year versus a school year ending March 15.

Read the Study

Learn about the 3 Keys to Helping Your Child Catch Up from the COVID Slide.