Rural Family Learning: Summer School Results

We reported on the recent successes of an NCFL-led initiative at three sites in Oklahoma’s Ardmore City Schools (ACS) district, which resulted in over 2,000 hours of reading time — roughly 12,000 books read together by families — during the 2013-14 spring term.

The success of this initiative proved what we already suspected — interactive literacy strategies paired with technology increase motivation to learn for all members of the family. Following the momentum and power of engagement via tablets with access to myON’s digital library, ACS hosted a 16-day elementary summer school session for students who could benefit from additional literacy support.

Spanning grades K-5, 146 students completed summer school (defined by missing only one day or less) and 79 had perfect attendance. Ardmore City Schools officials attributed the higher-than-before levels of attendance and achievement to the NCFL/ACS partnership and the use of the NCFL-Ardmore literacy approach. We are ecstatic to share these initial results:   

• In the month of June, elementary students in Ardmore, Oklahoma opened 7,174 books, read 3,906 books, and increased their Lexile levels by an average of 8 percent (as recorded by myON metrics). 
• 48 percent of kindergarten participants learned one or more phonics skills during summer school, and 84 percent of participants learned one or more phonological awareness skills
• 88 percent of first grade participants learned one or more phonics skill during summer school, and 35 percent of participants learned one or more phonological awareness skills
• 15 percent of second grade participants increased fluency levels by one or more grade level, and 94 percent of participants gained one or more phonics skills
• 34 percent of third grade participants increased fluency by one or more grade level
• 27 percent of fourth grade participants increased fluency by one or more grade level
• 70 percent of fifth grade participants increased fluency by one or more grade level
• Numbers of books given away as attendance incentives: 144
• Number of Kindle Fire tablets given away as attendance incentives: 4

As more research is proving, and as NCFL also experienced firsthand with the success and popularity of Camp Wonderopolis, digital learning in the summertime is one of the most effective approaches to engaging a child’s interest in learning to proactively combat “summer brain drain.” For more information about the NCFL-led initiative in ACS, professional development, and partnerships, contact us at 502-584-1133 or email info@familieslearning.org.

Funding from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation was leveraged by NCFL in addition to ACS Cornerstone Foundation and Title I resources to further the NCFL-Ardmore literacy approach during the summer months (interactive, intergenerational, and digitally infused).