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Summer learning loss is a concern for parents and teachers alike, as research further documents the reality of this trend. The cites research spanning 100 years that consistently shows students score lower on standardized tests at the end of summer vacation than they do on those same examinations before summer break begins. Evidence also points to the fact that summer learning loss contributes significantly to the widening achievement gap between low-income and middle-income students as they progress through school. What can parents do to prevent this trend with their own children? Check out these ten summer options to keep your kids learning all summer long.

Talk to Your Child’s Teacher

A report at advises parents to talk to their child’s teacher prior to the end of the school year to get recommendations on material to cover over the summer. The teacher can alert you to potential gaps in your child’s learning that you can work to fill during the break. Some teachers will even have reading lists or workbook selections that would benefit your child’s summer learning program most.

This video offers parents some tips for summer learning.

The Summer Reading Adventure

Local libraries are a boon to parents and kids over the summer months. Many have summer reading programs, complete with enticing prizes if kids read a certain number of books or log

Summer school may be a requirement if your child did not pass one of his classes during the school year. It might also be a choice for a student who wants to get ahead for the upcoming academic year. No matter the reason behind the summer school choice, it can be challenging to hit the books when everyone else is enjoying vacation time. Check out these ten tips to help your child survive and succeed in his summer school efforts.

Avoid Learning Loss

Is summer school the right choice for your child, or would a break from the stress and strain of class be more beneficial? According to a 2003 study cited at , summer learning loss can concern parents of struggling students. The study found that students lost up to one month of learning by the time they returned to school in the fall. This gap may be even higher for students who traditionally struggle with academics.

This video from PBS discusses reinventing summer school to avoid learning loss.

Choose the Right Class

Some summer classes may be filled with remedial students or students with severe learning disabilities that do not serve to motivate your own students to succeed. When searching for a summer class, consider the environment your student will be working in to ensure it will breed success. The right class will be well worth the cost if

Hawaii Public Schools, one of the largest school districts in the country, is seeing improvements in the number of students who are college bound. The district attributes the positive numbers to various factors, including their ability to better track student progress in recent years. With more students showing readiness for higher education endeavors after high school, the state is confident it can boost the number of college graduates statewide within the next two decades. What is their secret? It appears a number of factors are contributing to the state’s success.

College and Career Readiness Indicators

The reports that recent positive numbers from Hawaii Public Schools can be found in the latest College and Career Readiness Indicators report. The new reports were released by Hawaii P-20 Partnerships for Education and the Hawaii Department of Education. The reports use a range of metrics to evaluate college readiness for high school students in the state. According to the most recent numbers, it appears students in the Islands are making strides in nearly every indicator.

According to a press release from the , the recent report included the following findings:

• College Enrollment – the state saw a slight increase in college enrollment, from 53 percent in 2011 to 54 percent in 2012
• College-Level Courses – the number of students enrolling in college-level English and math courses increased by four percent each between 2011 and 2012
• Remedial Courses – the number of students requiring

It wasn’t that long ago that the state of athletics in Boston Public Schools was downright dismal. Teams did not have a fully equipped field to practice. Some were even left to run practice drills in alleyways because space was not available on school property. There were not enough uniforms to go around, leaving teammates swapping sweaty shirts with one another in the midst of competitions.

But when the sports weren’t available, even in this less than ideal state, high school and middle school students were left with too much empty time on their hands when school got out. Pay-to-play, an option seen in many of the wealthier suburban school districts nearby, simply didn’t cut it in a district where 75 percent of the student population lives below the poverty level. The quandary seemed to be growing deeper and deeper – until two Good Samaritan organizations stepped in.

This video reports on the Boston Scholar Athletes Academic Zone.

Boston Scholar Athletes Focus on Athletics, Academics

In 2009, Boston Globe reporter Bob Hohler did a series on the miserable state of affairs in Boston Public Schools athletic programs across the city. After visiting every school in the district, Hohler found that many of the problems within the system boiled down to a lack of money, according to a report at . After the reports were published, Boston Schools Superintendent Carol Johnson began