Can Center-Based Care Reduce Summer Slowdown Prior to Kindergarten? Exploring Variation by Family Income, Race/Ethnicity, and Dual Language Learner Status Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • This study examines growth in language and math skills during the summer before kindergarten; considers variation by family income, race/ethnicity, and dual language learner status; and tests whether summer center-based care sustains preschool gains. Growth in skills slowed during summer for all children, but the patterns varied by domain and group. Non-White and dual language learner students showed the largest drop-off in language skills during summer. Lower-income students demonstrated slower summer growth in math skills than their higher-income peers. Students enrolled in summer center-based care had faster growth in math skills than those who did not attend care. Yet lower-income students who attended center-based care showed slower growth in language skills during summer than similar nonattenders. Implications are discussed.

published proceedings

  • AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH JOURNAL

altmetric score

  • 13.1

author list (cited authors)

  • McCormick, M. P., Pralica, M., Guerrero-Rosado, P., Weiland, C., Hsueh, J., Condliffe, B., Sachs, J., & Snow, C.

citation count

  • 5

complete list of authors

  • McCormick, Meghan P||Pralica, Mirjana||Guerrero-Rosado, Paola||Weiland, Christina||Hsueh, JoAnn||Condliffe, Barbara||Sachs, Jason||Snow, Catherine

publication date

  • April 2021