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Does this sound familiar? September rolls around, your teen heads back to school, and within a week or two you start hearing, "I feel like I forgot everything." That feeling has a name — the summer slide — and it's more real than most of us realize.
The good news? It's also very preventable.
Studies consistently find that students lose a meaningful portion of what they learned during the school year over the course of the summer. Estimates vary depending on how learning is measured, but the pattern is clear: math tends to take the bigger hit, with students losing somewhere between 25–34% of their school-year math gains, while reading and literacy losses tend to fall in the 17–28% range.
What's striking is that these losses compound. Year after year of summer slide adds up, and researchers at Johns Hopkins found that a significant portion of the reading achievement gap by ninth grade can be traced back to cumulative summer learning losses in earlier years.
For high schoolers especially, the stakes are real. A student heading into precalculus in the fall who spent the summer away from math may spend the first several weeks just getting back to where they were in June.
There are things teens can do on their own that make a genuine difference: a summer reading list they actually care about; a few Khan Academy sessions a week to keep math skills fresh; a journal, a creative project, a book club with friends. These are real, worthwhile things — and for a motivated teen, they can help.
But motivation is the hard part. Students are accustomed to thinking of summer as down time, and after a long school year, the last thing most teenagers want to do is sit down for a problem set — and that's completely understandable. The structure that school provides disappears, and without it, even the best intentions tend to fade by mid-July.
This is why so many families find that a little outside support goes a long way. Not because teens can't do it themselves, but because having someone in their corner — someone who shows up, who knows them, who can provide structure that makes learning feel purposeful rather than punitive — changes the whole dynamic.
A few things research and experience consistently support:
Reading for pleasure. Any reading counts. Let your teen choose what interests them — graphic novels, mysteries, nonfiction about something they love. The goal is to keep the habit alive, not to assign great literature.
Keeping math skills active. Even light, regular engagement — 20-30 minutes a few times a week — is enough to prevent significant drift. Apps like Khan Academy make this accessible, and some teens genuinely enjoy the gamified format.
A summer course or workshop. Writing bootcamps, math intensives, or subject-specific courses give teens a structured, social way to stay engaged. Many teens find these more enjoyable than expected, especially when the group is small and the pace isn't driven by grades.
Tutoring — even just a few sessions. This is one parents sometimes underestimate. You don't need weekly tutoring all summer to make a difference. Even a handful of sessions focused on shoring up a weak area or previewing next year's material can give your teen meaningful momentum heading into the fall.
At LifeWorks, we offer both one-on-one summer tutoring and summer group courses designed to keep teens engaged, confident, and moving forward — without the pressure of the school year.
Our tutors work the LifeWorks way: meeting your teen where they are, building on their strengths, and helping them feel capable rather than behind. Whether your family wants a few targeted sessions or a more structured summer program, we'll work with you to find what fits.
Summer doesn't have to mean starting from scratch in September. A little intentional investment now can make a real difference — for your teen's confidence, their readiness, and their sense of themselves as a learner.
Reach out to learn more about LifeWorks summer tutoring and courses — we'd love to help your teen have a summer that sets them up for a strong fall.
