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Summer reading or summer vacation reading is popular in the US and across the world.
But how popular is reading during the summer? Can it stop the infamous “summer slide”?
Is it really beneficial for school children and students to read during the summer or should they spend their time relaxing and having fun so they’re ready for the next school year?
Learn about it in my summer reading statistics guide below.
Use this jump link to quickly jump to the KEY STATS section.
Also, all the references and resources I used in crafting my guide are listed at the bottom of the page.
Jump here: Key Summer Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year| Summer Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year (Detailed Info)
Table of Contents
Key Summer Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year
Key Summer Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for 2024
- 20% of students read daily during summer vacation.
- Children who don’t read over summer can lose up to 2 months of reading skills.
- 80% of students from economically disadvantaged communities lose reading skills over summer.
- Students who read 4-5 books over summer often avoid summer learning loss.
- 61% of low-income families have no age-appropriate books in their homes.
- Summer reading programs can increase reading time by up to 60 minutes per week.
- 95% of teachers agree that summer reading is important for students’ academic success.
- Only 17% of parents make summer reading a priority for their children.
- Students who participate in summer reading programs are 52% more likely to finish a book.
- 66% of teachers spend 3-4 weeks re-teaching material from the previous year due to summer learning loss.
- Reading just 6 books during summer may keep a struggling reader from regressing.
- 3 out of 4 students who read more than 10 books over summer gain reading skills.
- Summer reading loss accounts for about 80% of the reading achievement gap by 9th grade.
- 77% of kids aged 6-17 report they read at least one book during summer.
- Children in low-income families can lose up to 3 months of reading progress over summer.
- 90% of students who completed summer reading programs said they enjoyed the experience.
- Students who read for pleasure outperform those who don’t by 10% on standardized reading tests.
- 65% of children would read more over summer if they had access to ebooks.
- Public school libraries summer reading programs reach over 14 million children annually in the US.
- Kids who read 20 minutes a day are exposed to 1.8 million words per year.
- 47% of parents with children aged 6-17 say their kids don’t spend enough time reading books over summer.
- Students from middle-income families add about 3 months to their reading level over summer months.
- 40% of 9-year-olds and 13-year-olds report reading for fun “almost every day.”
- Children who read 4 or more books over summer fare better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who read one or no books.
- 73% of summer reading participants said that summer reading encouraged them to read more often.
Summer Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for This Year (Detailed Info)
What Percentage of Students Read Daily During Summer Vacation?
20% of students read daily during summer vacation. This is a very good habit and advantageous for these students because studies show that students who read 4-5 books over summer completely avoid summer learning loss.
Also worth noting is that students who read for pleasure outperform those who don’t by 10% on standardized reading and reading comprehension tests. Another survey showed that 3 out of 4 students who read more than 10 books over summer have more advanced reading skills when they get back to their colleges.
Unfortunately, not all students have the time or the means to read during the summer. 80% of students from economically disadvantaged communities don’t read during their summer vacation and end up losing their reading skills over summer.
Here are some more stats about students and summer reading:
Students who participate in summer reading programs are 52% more likely to finish a book. Â Students from middle-income families add about 3 months to their reading level over summer. 90% of students who completed summer reading programs said they enjoyed the experience.
How Much Reading Skill Loss Can Children Experience if They Don’t Read Over Summer?
Children who don’t read over summer can lose up to 2 months of reading skills. However, reading during the summer shouldn’t be a chore. Even a little bit helps tremendously. For example, kids who read just 20 minutes a day are exposed to 1.8 million words per year.
In a recent survey of families with school children in the United Stats, 83% of parents admitted they’re too busy to find the time to consistently push their children to read during summer. 17% of parents said they make summer reading a priority for their children.
In those same households 77% of kids aged 6-17 reported they read at least one book during summer.
Here are some more interesting facts about the summer reading habit of US children:
47% of parents with children aged 6-17 say their kids don’t spend enough time reading books over summer.
40% of 9-year-olds and 13-year-olds report reading for fun “almost every day.”
Children in low-income families can lose up to 3 months of reading progress over summer (presumably because these children have to work to help the family financially and so they don’t have time and energy to read. This shows how socioeconomic status can influence education in a negative way and create educational inequalities).
Another survey on the topic of low income families and reading showed that 61% of low-income families have no age-appropriate books in their homes.
5% of children said they’d read more over summer if they had access to e-books.
Public libraries’ summer reading programs reach over 14 million children annually in the US. This is very beneficial for these children because study after study show that children who read 4 or more books over summer fare better on reading comprehension tests in the fall than their peers who read one or no books.
What Percentage of Teachers Agree That Summer Reading is Important for Students’ Academic Success?
95% of teachers agree that summer reading is important for students’ academic success. These teachers don’t say this for no reason. 66% of teachers claim they spend 3-4 weeks re-teaching material from the previous year due to summer learning loss.
What Percentage of Summer Reading Participants Said the Program Encouraged Them to Read More Often?
Summer reading programs are highly beneficial for encouraging higher book consumption.
73% of summer reading participants said that summer reading encouraged them to read more often. Summer reading programs can increase reading time by up to 60 minutes per week, and reading just 6 books during summer keep a struggling reader from regressing into not reading and definite summer learning loss.
Summer reading loss accounts for about 80% of the reading achievement gap by 9th grade.
Summer Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for 2024 (FAQ)
Why is Summer Reading Important and Beneficial?
Summer reading is important and beneficial because it prevents summer slide and subsequent bad grades when the pupil who didn’t read returns to school. After all, summer reading loss accounts for about 80% of the reading achievement gap by 9th grade.
Why is Summer Reading Bad?
Summer reading is not bad. It’s good. But it also has it’s downsides, the biggest one being that if you start to read too much, like 10h per day, you might miss out on important part of your childhood. You’ll also be shunned by your pears who’ll think you think you’re too goad to play with them.
This can cause you psychological trauma latter on, especially when you and your peers hit puberty.
What is the Point of Summer Reading?
The point of summer reading is to refresh your knowledge you’ve gotten during the previous school year, and to gain new knowledge by reading something new. The idea is to prevent summer learning loss and start from a better starting position when you return to school and your classroom to continue your education.
What is the Summer Slide in Reading?
Summer slide is another name for summer learning loss. It’s a learning loss that many students experience after spending months at a time without any educational support (without reading).
How to Finish Summer Reading Fast?
The best an only way to finish summer reading fast is to read what you love. If you read what you love time will fly and those pages you need to read will disappear and a chore will transform into a labor of love.
Why do Teachers Assign Summer Reading?
Teachers assign summer reading because they want their students to forget as little as possible and if possible acquire new knowledge while on summer holiday.
They also wish to make things easer for themselves. If their students and pupils come already accustomed to daily reading then they’ll do their homework much better and more consistently.
Which is better for the teachers as well.
What is a Summer Reading Program? And What is a Summer Reading Camp?
A summer reading program (SRP) is an educational activity that encourages adults, teens and children to read during their summer vacation. Summer reading programs are designed to help children enhance reading skills, prevent summer learning loss, and build confidence.
Some schools call their summer reading program a “summer literacy camp” or just “summer camp” and it’s often for students who’re struggling with the regular reading material and need extra help with it. Teachers and principals recommend students for the program based on their knowledge which students need extra assistance.
What Are Some Notable Summer Reading Quotes?
Here are some notable summer reading quotes, with attribution:
- “Summer reading is the encouraged thievery of dreams.” – Ray Bradbury
- “One benefit of summer was that each day we had more light to read by.” – Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle
- “I have a passion for teaching kids to become readers, to become comfortable with a book, not daunted.
- Books shouldn’t be daunting, they should be funny, exciting and wonderful; and learning to be a reader gives a terrific advantage.” – Roald Dahl
- “Summer is the annual permission slip to be lazy. To do nothing and have it count for something. To lie in the grass and count the stars. To sit on a branch and study the clouds.” – Regina Brett
- “Reading should not be presented to children as a chore, a duty. It should be offered as a gift.” – Kate DiCamillo
- “There is no such thing as a child who hates to read; there are only children who have not found the right book.” – Frank Serafini
- “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
- “A book is a dream that you hold in your hand.” – Neil Gaiman
- “Reading is a discount ticket to everywhere.” – Mary Schmich
- “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.” – Joseph Addison
Summer Reading Statistics, Facts and Trends for 2024 (Conclusion)
My updated guide for 2024 lists the best and latest statistics, facts and trends about summer reading and how to best tackle this interesting issue.
I hope you enjoyed it because the guide is now over.
Read these resources next:
References:
- Behind the Slide: Key Stats on Summer Learning Loss- https://www.learner.com/blog/summer-slide-statistics
- Summer Reading Loss- https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/summer-reading/articles/summer-reading-loss
- Keep Students Reading During the Summer Break | Booksource- https://connect.booksource.com/blog/keep-students-hooked-on-books-during-the-summer-break
- Summer learning loss: What we know and what we’re learning- https://www.nwea.org/blog/2024/summer-learning-loss-what-we-know-what-were-learning/
- Summer Reading Program Statistics- https://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/programstatistics.htm
- Comprehensive K-5 summer reading study reveals immediate reading gains and enduring effects.- https://kidsreadnow.org/resource/white-paper-study-results-summer-reading-intervention-shatters-expectations/
- Sparking Interest in Summer Reading- https://www.lrs.org/2024/06/06/sparking-interest-in-summer-reading/
- Students Increasingly Are Not Reading Over the Summer, Poll Finds- https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/students-increasingly-are-not-reading-over-the-summer-poll-finds/2019/05
- Summer reading by the numbers: Why it’s so important- https://www.nbcdfw.com/about-nbc-5/community/reading-with-you/summer-reading-by-the-numbers-why-its-so-important/3293312/
- Solving the Problem of Summer Reading Loss- https://scholar.harvard.edu/files/jameskim/files/prof_pub-pdk-white-2011-summer_loss.pdf
- Summers: Some Are Reading, Some Are Not! It Matters- https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/summer-reading/articles/summers-some-are-reading-some-are-not-it-matters
- Counting on Summer Reading- https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/91953-counting-on-summer-reading.html
- Summer Reading Fast Facts for Parents- https://www.tcspioneers.org/documents/42/2020_summer_reading_fast_facts.pdf
Nikola Roza
Nikola Roza is a blogger behind Nikola Roza- SEO for the Poor and Determined. He writes for bloggers who don't have huge marketing budget but still want to succeed. Nikola is passionate about precious metals IRAs and how to invest in gold and silver for a safer financial future. Learn about Nikola here.