As summer rolls around, it’s easy to picture your kids kicking back, enjoying some well-deserved time away from the classroom. But here’s something that might catch your attention: while summer is a break from school, it’s also a time when a lot of what they’ve learned can slip away. Research shows that students can lose up to two months’ worth of reading and math skills over the summer if they don’t stay engaged. That’s not just a small hiccup—it’s a gap that teachers often spend four to six weeks reteaching when the new school year starts. For parents like you, who want your child to head into the next grade ready to tackle what’s ahead, summer tutoring might be the game-changer you’re looking for.
Let’s talk about that loss for a moment. Studies, like those from the National Summer Learning Association, back this up: about 30% of the progress kids make during the school year can vanish over those warm, unstructured months. It’s often called the “summer slide,” and it’s especially tough on students who are already playing catch-up. Maybe your child struggled with fractions last year, or perhaps reading still feels like a mountain to climb. Without some reinforcement, those weak spots don’t just stay weak—they can get worse. Summer tutoring steps in here, offering a way to not only hold onto what they’ve learned but also close those gaps before they widen.
What’s great about summer tutoring is how it can be tailored to your child’s needs. Unlike the school year, where teachers are juggling a whole classroom, a tutor can zoom in on exactly what your kid needs help with. Data from the Annenberg Institute at Brown University shows that high-impact tutoring—think frequent, focused sessions—can help students gain back half a year to a full year of learning in subjects like math and reading. That’s huge, especially if your child fell behind during a rocky school year or just needs a boost to feel confident walking into the next one. Imagine your third-grader finally nailing those multiplication tables or your middle schooler smoothing out their essay-writing skills—all before the first bell rings in the fall.
The flexibility of summer also makes this doable for busy families. With no homework or after-school activities crowding the schedule, you can fit tutoring around camps or vacations. And here’s a stat that might surprise you: a 2020 review of nearly 100 tutoring programs found that intensive tutoring was particularly effective for younger kids in reading and for slightly older ones in math. So whether your child is seven or twelve, there’s evidence this can work. It’s not about cramming their summer with busywork—it’s about targeted support that sets them up to start the year strong.
Think about September for a second. Kids who’ve had some summer tutoring don’t just show up refreshed—they show up prepared. They’re not the ones scrambling to remember what a decimal is or how to sound out tricky words while the teacher moves on to new material. Instead, they’re ready to build on what they already know. Research from the U.S. Department of Education highlights that students who get this kind of support are better positioned to keep pace as the year progresses, especially if they’ve had a tough time before. For you, that means less stress watching them struggle and more pride seeing them thrive.
If your child’s had a bumpy road with school—or even if they’re doing okay but could use a little edge—summer tutoring could be the bridge to a smoother next year. It’s an investment in keeping their skills sharp and giving them a head start. By the time fall hits, you might just find they’re not only caught up but actually excited to take on what’s next. And as a parent, isn’t that the kind of confidence you want them to carry into the classroom?
