EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

Effectiveness of Summer Acceleration Programs for students who did

not pass their state exams and classes
Oanh Diep
Texas A&M University-Commerce

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

Effectiveness of Summer Acceleration Programs for students who failed
their state tests and their core classes
Students are now required in the state of Texas to pass five of
their STAAR exams to be able to earn their diploma. The exams are
English 1, English II, Biology, Algebra I, and U.S. History. Students who
did not pass any of these exams are required to attend Summer
Acceleration Program. At the end of the program, they are to retake
these tests during a week of testing. I want to look at the passing rate
of those students who attended this program for all core classes. In
addition, I want to study the effectiveness of summer programs for
credit recovery for students who did not pass their classes during the
regular school year. The purpose of this study is to understand the
effectiveness of the Summer Acceleration Programs specifically for
students who did now show mastery of the contents.
Research Questions
1. Students who did who failed their Biology, Algebra 1, English 1,
English 2, and U.S. History STAAR and attended summer
acceleration, what were their passing rate?
2. Among those students who did not attend the program, what
were their passing rates?
3. How is the curriculum for Summer Acceleration created and
implemented for all eleven days?
4. How are special populations students supported and what were
their passing rates?

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

5. What are the qualifications of general education teachers and
special education teachers to be able to teach Acceleration?
6. Students attend Summer Acceleration Program for credit
recovery, how were they assessed to show mastery of the
content?
Significance of Study
In the last few years there has been a significant amount of pressure on school
districts to assure that their students are meeting state requirements (U .S. Department of
Education, 2004). Many schools have relied on the use of summer school programs as a
means of addressing the issue of the summer learning loss, as well as ensuring that
students are performing at proficient levels across all academic areas. As more and more
schools are relying on the use of summer school programs, literature reviews have
focused on the characteristics needed to make these programs successful (Aidman, 1998;
Boss & Railsback, 2002; Christie, 2003; Cooper et aI., 2000; NaEd, 2009).
State of Texas has recently changed its assessment program from Texas
Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) to State of Texas Assessment of Academic
Readiness (STAAR). The STAAR required students to pass five of end of course exams
to qualify for graduation. Students who scored unsatisfactory would be invited to attend
summer acceleration program for supplementary instruction for the duration of 11 days.
After such time, students would have to retake their failed exams in the following week.
The curriculum have been designed by the specific districts and meant to encompass
more engaging activities. However, students retesting in the summer showed little
improvements in their competencies over their subject matter. Some students scored
worst than they did in the spring semester. Students showed improvements in such areas

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

like Math and Science but not much in History and English. This study is designed to
examine the effectiveness of these programs and the correlation between students who
attend the program regularly and those who did not. By correlating their attendance rate
and tests scores, researchers can analyze on the effective of summer acceleration towards
different student population. In addition, researchers can also formulate future
encouragement programs to increase summer acceleration participation rates and close
learning gaps for students during the school year.
Method of Procedure
Selection of Sample
Since students showed diverse tests results in English and Biology, researchers
would select their sample from these two pools of retesting students within the same
school. They would send home letters to both of these groups to explain my study and
ask for parents participation. Only those students who have had parental consents would
be included in this study. Within sample groups, researchers would document students
attendance rates and corresponding test scores at the end of summer acceleration. It is
difficult to retrieve any participatory data from those who did not attend acceleration
regularly; therefore researchers would use two database systems called Chancery and
Eduphoria to analyze their test scores. Both of these databases also provide different
demographic categories like race, socioeconomics and special population. Researches can
easily categorize tests scores based on these coded students.
Design
The quantitative research approach was applied to examine the cause and effect
studies in these particular studies. For this particular study, the causal-comparative

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

method design was best used to determine the outcomes of Summer Acceleration
Programs effectiveness in helping students passing their STAAR exams in Biology and
English. There were no manipulation of any variables it this study.
Researchers collect data from participatory students with parental consents to
record their attendance rate during the summer program for both subjects. They would
then record their scores on their STAAR exams after the conclusion of the programs to
analyze the programs effectiveness. Researchers would use two types of databases:
Eduphoria and Chancery to collect their data. Eduphoria would be used to record
students scores, and Chancery would be use for special population information and
attendance rates.
Data Analysis
Daily attendance rates would be collected for both subjects throughout the
summer program. Using Chancery, researchers could organize attendance rates into
general education and special population students. Two separate spreadsheets would be
used: one for general education students and one for special population students. There
would be an estimate of 60 students in English and 50 in Biology. Students would be
separated into 2 columns: those who passed and failed their second attempt at each tests.
Within those who passed, how many attended summer acceleration regularly and who
attended less than 10% of the duration. Data would be sorted the same way with those
who failed and special population students.
If data collection showed positive relationships between those who attended
regularly and passed their exams, then Summer Acceleration program would be deemed
beneficial and effective towards STAAR. Positive relationship here means those who

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

attended 90% their programs passed either their English or Biology test. However, if
there is no correlation between these two variables, then such programs is ineffective and
some other remedial interventions must be implemented. No correlation means those
who attended 90% of the time still failed either tests.

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

References
Capaizzano J., Bischoff, K., Woddroffe, N., & Chaplin, D. (June 29, 2007). Ingredients
of a Successful Summer Learning Program: A Case Study of the Building
Educated Leaders for Life (BELL) Accelerated Learning Summer Program.
Urban Institute. Retrieved from
http://www.urban.org/publications/411493.html
Carter, Vivian. The Effects of Summer Reading Participation on the Retention of
Reading Skills. Illinois Libraries 70:1 (1988) pp 56-60.
Celano, Donna and Susan B. Neuman. The Role of Public Libraries in Childrens
Literacy Development: An Evaluation Report. Pennsylvania Library Association,
2001. Retrieved from
http://www.statelibrary.state.pa.us/libraries/lib/libraries/Role%20of
%20Libraries.pdf
Cooper, H., Charlton, K. Valentine, J.C., & Muhlenbruck L. (2000). Making the most of
Summer school: A meta-analytic and narrative review. Monographs of Society
for Research in Child Development, 65(1), 1-119. Retrieved from
http://nichcy.org/research/summaries/abstract78
Cooper, H. (2001). Summer school research based recommendation for policy makers.
Serve Policy Brief. Retrieved from
http://www.serve.org/uploads/publications/SSRecommendations.pdf

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

Hoare, T., & Mann, R. (January, 2012). The impact of the Sutton Trusts summer school.
The Sutton Trust. Retrieved from
http://www.suttontrust.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/summer-schoolsummary-final-draft.pdf
Huggins, G. (January, 2012). Leveraging the power of afterschool and summer learning
success. Expanding Minds and Opportunities. Retrieved from
http://www.expandinglearning.org/sites/default/files/em_articles/3_promiseofsum
mer.pdf
LaFee, S. & Greene, D. (May 6, 2013). What constitutes an effective summer program?.
McCombs, J., Augustine, C., & Schwartz, H. (2011). Making summer count: How
summer programs can boost childrens learning. Rand Education. Retrieved from
http://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/monographs/2011/RAND_MG1120.p
df
Newhouse, C., Neeley, P., & Freese, J. (2012). Summer matters: How summer learning
strengthen students success. Public Profit. Retreieved from
http://www.ewa.org/sites/main/files/file-attachments/2012-13summer_matters_casestudy_stc.pdf
Terzian,M., & Moore, K. (September 2009). What works for summer
learning programs
for low-income children and youth: Preliminary lessons from
experimental evaluations of social interventions. Child Trends
Fact Sheets, 2009-41. Retrieved from

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

http://www.wallacefoundation.org/knowledge-center/summerand-extended-learning-time/summerlearning/Documents/Effective-and-Promising-Summer-LearningPrograms-Fact-Sheet.pdf
Zwiefelhofer, C. (December, 2010). Using progress monitoring to evaluate the
effectiveness of a remedial summer school program. Univeristy of WisconsinStout School of Psychology. Retrieved from
http://www2.uwstout.edu/content/lib/thesis/2010/2010zwiefelhoferc.pdf

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595 Research Plan Grading Rubric

CLAQWA (modified), Flateby & Metzger - University of South Florida
Module 1 Assignment
Statement of the Problem
The statement of the problem and need for the study is clearly addressed.
The statement of the problem is clear, although a rare extraneous element is
introduced.
The research plan has a statement of the problem, but additional unrelated
ideas distract the reader.
The statement of the problem is unclear.
The research plan lacks a statement of the problem or appears to reflect the
writer's "free association."
Module 2 Assignment
Research Questions
All research questions are well written and relate to research topic.
Majority of research questions are well written and relate to research topic.
Research questions slightly deviate from research topic and have room for
improvement.
Research questions are unrelated to research topic.
Research questions are poorly written, unrelated to problem.
References
All references are appropriate with no APA errors.
Most references are appropriate and/or limited APA errors.
Some references are appropriate and/or limited APA errors.
Many references are inappropriate and/or a variety of APA errors.
Most references are inappropriate and/or excessive APA errors.

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS

Module 6 Assignment
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Significance of Study
The significance of study clearly contributes to the research plan, which is
obvious, specific and appropriate.
The writers significance of study is present, appropriate for the research plan.
The writers significance of study is present and appropriate, but elements
may not clearly contribute to the statement of the problem.
The writers significance of study is inappropriate for the research plan.
The writers significance is not evident.
Selection of Sample
Target population was identified and appropriate method used for selection of
sample of participants. Description of participants was included and
appropriate in ability to provide data in answering research questions.
Little discussion of target population; however sampling technique used for
selection was discussed and appropriate in providing data for research
questions. Description of participants provided.
No discussion of target population and room for improvement in sample
technique used. No description of actual participants.
No discussion of target population and poor sampling technique used.
No discussion of target population and/or sampling technique used.
Participants targeted for study were inappropriate for providing data to
research questions.
Module 7 Assignment
Design
Procedure for collecting and analyzing data was sound, effective and realistic
to addressing the research questions posed in the research plan. Provides a
clear roadmap to the reader.
Procedure for collecting and analyzing data was appropriate for research
questions posed in the research plan. Room for improvement with description.
Procedure for collecting and analyzing data was average for research
questions posed in proposal with room for improvement.
Procedure for collecting and analyzing data was attempted for research
questions posed in proposal; however, better description is needed.
Procedure of collecting and analyzing data was inappropriate and unrelated to
research questions statements posed in the research plan.
Data Analysis
Description of analysis of data excellent. Methods used for analysis of data
appropriate.
Description of analysis of data good. Methods used are appropriate with some
room for improvement.
Description of analysis of data average.
Little description of analysis of data. Need major revisions.
Inaccurate description provided for analysis of data.

EFFECTIVENESS OF SUMMER ACCELERATION PROGRAMS