- Research has shown that low-income children have less access to books and other printed material than their more advantaged peers. 
- Providing books to low-income children and encouraging them to read is a relatively cost-effective and replicable approach that can help to develop their reading skills over the summer and bridge achievement gap.

Summer Reading Research Findings 

- Summer programs are affordable and accessible regardless of income level
- Summer programs are offered at early grade levels.
- Summer programs differ from traditional school year programs
- Academic instruction is blended with enrichment activities
- A safe place is provided for children 
- Experienced staff are hired 
- Class sizes are small
- Positive relationships are promoted 
- Parent involvement is encouraged 
- Community partnerships are established 


Summer Program Research Findings 

Blazer, C. (2011). SUMMER LEARNING LOSS: WHY ITS EFFECT IS STRONGEST AMONG LOW-INCOME STUDENTS AND HOW IT CAN BE COMBATED. Retrieved December 1, 2020, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED536514.pdf

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Language:
- Variable: English Second Language (ESL)? (proxy for do the parents speak predominantly english at home) - STDNT_NTV_ENG_SPKR_IN D 

Ethnicity/Race:
- Suggestion: We should not do not white and non-white, rather we should separate out Latinx, Black, White, Asian and other races as much as possible

Education:
- Variable: It is important to look at parents education since some of the other variables effects may actually be due to parents education. - PRNT_MAX_ED_LVL_CD

Socioeconomic status:
- Variable: It is important to look at socioeconomic status since some of the other variables effects may actually be due to socioeconomic qualities. - EST_GROSS_FAM_INC_CD

Summer slump:
- Insight: What can the summer slump tell us about higher-level education and how COVID may have affected it?

Achievement Gap Variable Suggestions

Studies show that living in non-english speaking households can affect educational outcomes. ECLS data (California students studied over a long period of time) showed that speaking mostly a language other than english in the household was one of the eight most influential factors in a students academic success. Students were found to catch-up in later grades. Being in a household that does not speak english regularly while trying to receive a remote education using english may put students from such households at an increasing disadvantage during COVID.

- Variable code: STDNT_NTV_ENG_SPKR_IN D

Variable: English Second Language (ESL)? (do the parents speak mostly a language other than english at home)

We should not only do white and non-white racial categories, rather we should separate out Latinx, Black, White, Asian and other races as much as possible. Each has a very distinctive culture and since the pandemic has caused people to learn from home, cultural tendencies of different households may have had a greater affect on students. For example, the Latinx population is more likely to be ESL and studies show that living in non-english speaking households can affect educational outcomes. For another, in Outliers, Gladwell writes about how Chinese work ethic has been largely shaped by its agricultural roots in rice farming. This is something exclusive to a specific culture and has been a positive influence on learning outcomes, meaning those staying home in Chinese households may be affected differently than others who are not. While we may not be able to separate every race and culture from one another in this study, these anecdotes should paint why it is worth it to break them down as granular as possible.

Variable suggestion: Separating races as much as possible 

Summer Slump Study and Suggestions

The summer slump may be able to tell us about demographics that would be affected the most during COVID. This is because there are some parallels between what might be causing a drop in academic performance:

- Lack of resources at home (i.e. computers, wifi connection...)
- Household culture (i.e. value of education)
- Distractions from education

Insight: What can the summer slump tell us about higher-level education and how COVID may have affected it?

Megan Kuhfeld, D. (2020). When Does Inequality Grow? A Seasonal Analysis of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Learning From Kindergarten Through Eighth Grade - Megan Kuhfeld, Dennis J. Condron, Doug B. Downey, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.3102/0013189X20977854

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