Summertime gives students a much-needed break from non-stop learning but too much of a learning gap could put them at a disadvantage when they head back to school in the fall.
According to the National Summer Learning Association -- nine in ten teachers say they spend at least three weeks re-teaching lessons at the start of the school year.
There's a range of reasons why students aren't getting that extra help during the summer. One of them includes parents wanting to give their children a break.
"For the students who are behind in school, it's a great time to catch up," said Executive Director of Sylvan Learning Center of Mentor Missy Fryer.
Another reason students are experiencing the summer slide is a lack of access and affordability. According to the After School Alliance, the average weekly cost for summer programs is about $288 per child per week. More than half of families not enrolled in a summer program say they would if one was available to them.
There are ways to stop the learning loss for free.
"A lot of teachers would love it if their students would be reading during the summer or doing math facts, just some of those very basic things that they can do on their own," said Fryer.
