Evaluation of a Summer Reading Program to Reduce Summer Setback

Summer setback, which is defined as a decline in academic achievement over the summer months, occurs in many academic areas but seems especially problematic in reading. We assessed students from a midwestern parochial school serving predominantly students from a low–socioeconomic status background for their reading achievement before they left for summer break in the spring and again at the start of the school year in the fall. We observed a significant decline in reading achievement. However, we observed a reduction in the effects of the setback in students who participated in a 3-week summer reading program that incorporated evidence-based reading fluency and comprehension strategies. Participants in the program significantly increased their reading achievement over the course of the summer program and started the school year with percentile ranks in reading that were higher than those at the end of the previous school year.