Start the School Year with a Strong Foundation

Not every student starts the school year with the same level of readiness.

After a long summer break, students return to the classroom with different levels of skill, retention, and confidence. While some are ready to jump into new material, others benefit from a review of concepts from the previous grade.

Addressing Summer Slide

One reason students begin the year at different starting points is summer slide. When skills go unused for weeks or months, some learning naturally fades.

More than a century ago, researcher Hermann Ebbinghaus introduced the Forgetting Curve, demonstrating that people tend to forget new information quickly when it is not actively reviewed. Revisiting previously learned concepts helps strengthen retention and makes it easier for students to recall information when they need it.

Review is especially effective when students revisit a variety of skills and concepts through a mixed-skills approach, often called spiral review. Rather than simply repeating the same type of problem, students actively recall prior learning and determine which strategies to apply, helping build deeper understanding and long-term retention.

More Than a Summer Resource

Although Summer Skills Review Books were designed primarily to reinforce learning during the summer months, they are also an excellent resource at the beginning of the school year. A focused review can help students refresh foundational skills, rebuild confidence, and prepare for current grade-level expectations.

Available for Pre-K through 12th grade in Math, Language Arts, Spanish, and French, Summer Skills provides structured practice that reinforces essential concepts and supports continued learning.

A Strong Foundation Builds Confident Learners

Every student returns to school with different strengths and needs. By providing opportunities to review previously learned skills, educators and families can help students start the year feeling more prepared, confident, and ready to learn.

Explore Summer Skills Review Books and help students start the school year with a strong foundation for success!