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Abstract

Summer learning loss impacts all children differently, particularly students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, who face barriers to accessing educational resources during the summer months. Through a mixed-methods approach, this study measures the impact that evidence-based literacy instruction focusing on phonological awareness and phonics, social-emotional development, and positive behavioral management strategies has on 100 students from 1st and 2nd grade in the Southeastern US. Data to evaluate the program’s impact is provided by the school district. All data was compared and analyzed through repeated ANOVA measures with four time periods for Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) readings and mathematics scores, respectively, to examine whether there are any mean differences for MAP performances across four time periods. Results show the short-term effectiveness of the Fast Start program by contributing positively to maintaining students' performance consistently over the summer break, closing the students’ learning gap, and preventing them from experiencing the summer slide. Results also show the program's long-term effectiveness by boosting their learning, as shown by higher scores later in the school year. Furthermore, findings suggest that reading interventions can also have a positive influence on mathematics performance.

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