#  Summer School As a Learning Loss Recovery Strategy After COVID-19: Evidence from Summer 2022 

 



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 **Date:** 08/29/2023 

 

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This research report examines the effectiveness of summer school as a strategy for addressing COVID-19–related learning loss, using data from summer 2022 programs across eight large U.S. school districts serving approximately 400,000 students. Tracking students’ academic progress from spring to fall using NWEA MAP Growth assessments, the study finds that participation in summer school led to small but statistically significant gains in math achievement (about 0.03 standard deviations), with effects concentrated among students in upper elementary grades. In contrast, the authors find no consistent evidence of improvement in reading outcomes. The analysis shows that limited participation rates, modest program duration, and uneven attendance substantially constrained the overall impact of summer programming, resulting in recovery of only about 2–3% of districts’ total pandemic-related math learning losses. The report concludes that while summer school can contribute meaningfully to math recovery, it must be paired with broader, sustained academic interventions—such as tutoring and expanded instructional time—to fully address post-pandemic learning gaps.



 

 

 See also:- [ Research and Reports ](/resource-type/research-report)
- [ Researcher ](/audience/researcher)
- [ School/District Leader ](/audience/schooldistrict-leader)
- [ COVID-19 Impact ](/focus-areas/covid-19-impact)
- [ Math Instruction ](/focus-areas/math-instruction)
- [ Reading Instruction ](/focus-areas/reading-instruction)
- [ Road to Recovery Project ](/projects/road-recovery-project)
- [ 2023 ](/year/2023)
- [ K12 ](/sector/k12)