An Analysis of the Effects of an Academic Summer Program for Middle School Students

• In Event: 52.044 - Recent Research Insights Into Summer Learning Losses and Gains

Abstract

The middle school years are a critical turning point for youth educationally. Numerous studies have shown that students’ success in 6th to 8th grade has profound implications for their future (Balfanz 2009; Balfanz, Herzog, & MacIver, 2007; Kieffer and Marinell 2012). Thus, effective supplemental middle school educational services targeted at these students are likely to be a good investment for society. On the other hand, teaching middle school students who are behind is notoriously difficult because of the developmental changes that occur during this period (Eccles,1999).

Thus, the goals of this study are two-fold: (1) to examine whether academically-focused summer programs have the potential to improve the reading and math achievement of middle school students, and (2) to learn more about the challenges of implementing summer programs for this age group.

This was accomplished by examining the effect of BELL’s summer program for middle school students as it operated in three urban school districts in Summer 2012. BELL’s middle school program is a full-day academically oriented summer program. The program serves rising sixth- through eighth-graders who are performing one to two years below grade level. The program operates five days a week for five weeks during the summer. The program day is a traditional “full day” (6.5 hours), where the morning is devoted to math and reading instruction and the afternoon provides enrichment through instruction in science, physical education, the arts and other creative subjects, except on Fridays when there are guest speakers or field trips.

Schools in the three study districts identified middle school students who were performing below grade level and encouraged them to apply to the program. Random assignment was then used determine which students would be invited to participate in the BELL program (BELL group) and which students would not be invited to participate in BELL (non-BELL group). In the fall after the summer program, a reading achievement test (Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Examination or GRADE), a math achievement test (Group Mathematics Assessment and Diagnostic Examination or GMADE), and a survey were administered to students in the BELL and non-BELL group. The survey provides information on students’ academic and non-academic summer activities and is also used to measure students’ engagement in school when they returned to school in the fall. The analysis of impacts is based on the 919 students for whom fall achievement and survey data are available. In addition to collecting data on students, classroom observations, interviews and focus groups with staff were conducted in the third and fourth week of the summer program. Program attendance data also was obtained from BELL.

Findings from the study are known and available—and a report has been prepared—but the findings cannot be made public until the report is officially released by MDRC, which will happen in January 2015. By the time of the AERA conference, MDRC will be able to present and discuss the findings.

Author

• Marie-Andree Somers, MDRC