Change the Equation – Staff Writer
“STEM advocates pour a boatload of time and talent into improving K–12 STEM learning. For many students, however, learning gains achieved during the school year take a substantial hit during the summer vacation months…We hear a lot about the reading slump that occurs over the summer, when many kids tend to put the books aside. The learning slump is every bit as real in STEM subjects—and some studies indicate that the slump is more pronounced in math than in reading…What to do about the summer STEM slide? Summer learning programs can make a world of difference. For example, students who attend quality summer programs return to school in the fall with an advantage in math, with stronger math skills than their peers who do not attend such programs.”(more)