Study shows marginal summer progress at best

A recent study that involved Newton Schools and 42 other Iowa school districts revealed a few conclusions, though participants were hopeful the study would have revealed more.

The Iowa Reading Research Center, located at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, conducted a study of summer reading programs in 43 of the state’s school districts and one community organization who agreed to participate. This included the Newton Community School District.

The program found the programs helped students who were struggling with reading maintain their reading skills during the summer months. However, the study produced no significant evidence that such programs help students move ahead in skills.

On average, the three approaches were equally effective at preventing learning loss that is typically associated with summer break, but did not lead to statistically significant growth on tests of students’ reading ability.

“This is the pilot we participated in last summer,” Gilbert said. “It looks like mainly inconclusive results, except for the fact that summer school, in general, helped to prevent reading loss.”

Three types of summer reading programs were shown to not accelerate reading improvement, on average, according the study. It also revealed that participating schools faced challenges such as finding enough qualified teachers and literacy coaches in the summer months and sporadic student attendance.

Participating districts, such as Newton, were randomly assigned to use one of three approaches to literacy instruction: a specified computer-based program, a specified print-based program, and a “business-as-usual” approach in which the schools determined their own literacy programs.

The center was established through 2012 state legislation aimed at applying up-to-date research to the development of literacy across Iowa. Deborah Reed, principal investigator of the study and director of the center, said the goal of the center’s study, commissioned by the Branstad-Reynolds Administration and funded by a mix of private and public sources, was to identify the characteristics of more effective summer reading programs.

“This study was the first of its kind,” Reed said. “So Iowa stands to learn a lot from the results and be able to better plan for the challenges schools will face in providing summer reading programs.”

By May 2018, every Iowa school district must offer a summer reading program for students who are not proficient in reading at the end of third grade, as determined by Smarter Balanced assessments. All Iowa students in the third through the 11th grades will begin taking the Smarter Balanced assessments in the spring of 2018 but only third-graders will be required to pass the exam in order to move on to the next grade.

Third-graders who don’t pass the Smarter Balanced assessments will be required to take a summer literacy course offered by each district.

The study applied the requirements in the law to the programs in 120 classrooms statewide, implemented between May 31 and Aug. 11. Under those requirements, schools must provide at least 70 hours of evidence-based instruction in small classes (15 students or fewer) and monitor students‚ reading progress.

The median cost of providing summer reading programs statewide was estimated between $9.25 and $13.82 million. This was based on offering summer school to the 9,000 third-graders not meeting proficiency standards. Because not all of the students will be required or choose to attend, the estimates may be considered the maximum expense.

Results also showed achievement gaps in reading performance among minority students, students whose native language is not English, and students who receive special education services.

“Summer school is another opportunity to provide help to students who need it most,” Reed said. “It is important to continue looking for ways to design high-quality summer reading instruction.”

Information about the study, including the full report, can be found online here: goo.gl/XC8zZ2

Contact Jason W. Brooks at 641-792-3121 ext. 6532 or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com