Northwest Arkansas Officials Discuss Ways To Combat Summer Learning Loss

SPRINGDALE -- Summer break means a loss of knowledge for many students, which can cause them to fall behind in school and can, eventually, negatively impact the economy.

Community members, school officials and business leaders gathered at The Jones Center on Tuesday to discuss the issue and solutions. The forum was sponsored by the Springdale School District, Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, the Arkansas Out of School Network and the Northwest Arkansas Council, said Laura Kellams, Northwest Arkansas director for Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families.

Learning loss is the main reason teachers have to spend three to four weeks teaching old material at the beginning of each school year, said Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse in a proclamation. He said officials support awareness and implementation of more summer learning programs in the city.

Students who fall behind academically over the summer can affect their communities and the economy throughout their lives, said Sarah Pitcock, chief executive officer of the National Summer Learning Association. These students are more likely to drop out of high school, be incarcerated and have drug and alcohol problems.

Northwest Arkansas needs an educated work force to attract businesses to the area, said Stacey Sturner, project manager for the Northwest Arkansas Council. Businesses already located in the area also a highly educated work force before they expand.

All children lose two to three months of math skills during summer break if they don't practice, said Pitcock. Middle- and higher-income families generally maintain the same reading skills or advance their skills over the summer, because they have access to books and educational trips. Children in poorer families lose two to three months of reading skills over the summer, because they can't afford the same opportunities.

"Those are cumulative," she said. "They add up each year."

Officials with Arkansas Advocates held "study circles" in January, February and March, Kellams said. Community members, business leaders, parents, educators, law enforcement officials and students attended the meetings and discussed local issues, including summer learning loss.

"This is not just a school responsibility or a parent responsibility," she said at the forum. "It's a community challenge that we all have to face."

The meetings were held in English, Spanish and Marshallese to gather diverse viewpoints, Kellams said. Many community members at the meetings said "Springdale is a split community." Kellams said bridging the gaps between poor and wealthy families is "easier said than done," but it's still important.

Attendees at Tuesday's meeting discussed implementing summer programs at schools with free summer lunch programs. The lunch programs help children who may not eat lunch when not in school. Implementing programs at those schools could also help students maintain their math and reading skills over summer break.