CHARLOTTE, N.C. — With summer vacation in full swing, many students are excited to put away their books and enjoy the warmer weather.
However, educators are concerned about the "summer slide," a phenomenon in which students lose some of the knowledge they gained during the school year. This is especially true in reading, as students may not have as many opportunities to read over the summer.
To help prevent the summer slide, schools, and county programs offer various reading programs and activities.
In Union County, for example, a mobile library bus visits elementary schools, giving students the opportunity to pick out free books.
"It's a great way to ensure that our kids have a book at home or use some books at home during the summer and continue that push with advancing literacy," Andrew Houlihan, Union County Public School's Superintendent said.
The bus will stop at summer learning camps and communities all across Union County. Children in elementary school can hop aboard the specially transformed bus and select a book at no cost.
"It is a huge hit in our community, and across all of our elementary schools in particular, and they get a chance to get on the bus and get at least three books for free," Houlihan said.
Literacy, especially for school-aged children, has taken a hit since 2020. Earlier this year when the nation’s report card came out, schools saw a decline in reading scores not seen since 1992.
UCPS was able to continue and hover above state averages for reading proficiency. They attribute keeping kids engaged in the summer with reading as one factor why.
Public library systems are also doing their part in combating the summer slide. Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's summer break program engages kids in reading through story times, puppet shows, and other activities.
"If we can create a really entertaining experience for the kids and for their parents, then we create an association that children think about libraries as places that they want to go," Becca Worthington, ImaginOn’s Children's Librarian said.
Adults who brought their kids to ImaginOn said summer reading is a practiced habit they make sure happens daily.
"We prefer to read every single night at dinnertime," said Madeline Palka. "It is kind of how we like to end our day, we decompress and we try to see how can we relate our books to some of the things we've done during the week."
In addition to these programs, parents can also play a role in helping their children avoid the summer slide. Experts say one of the best things parents can do is to make reading a daily habit. Even just 30 minutes of reading each day can make a big difference.
Parents can also take their children to the library, bookstores, and local schools to find new books to read.
The summer slide is a serious problem, but it can be prevented by taking advantage of the resources available for free so students can continue to learn and grow over the summer.
Contact Shamarria Morrison at smorrison@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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