An examination of early literacy skills across the school year and summer

Abstract

Children’s early learning and development are affected by the school/academic and home environments. Therefore, in order to accurately depict the differential growth and loss of early reading skills and facilitate equality in educational success, learning must be studied given the contexts and corresponding influences of home and school. The present study describes the growth and change in early literacy skills in kindergarten through second grade by focusing separately on within school growth and summer time change in order to illustrate the relative influences of the home and school environments. Results indicated that parent education, ethnicity, and special education status are significant determinants of beginning of the year scores, whereas limited English proficiency status, special education status, and grade level impact growth during the school year. The findings were suggestive of significant loss of early literacy skills over the summer. Implications for prevention and intervention are discussed, and limitations are cited.