Education officials are hoping more Arizona kids take advantage of summer reading programs that can bridge the gap, limiting what can be a dramatic loss of skills.
Michele Rutin is with the Maricopa County Education Service Agency.
“Well, a child can lose anywhere from one to three months of instructional time when they don't read over the summer,” Rutin said.
Rutin says summer programs not only attempt to make reading easy and fun for kids, but they help parents learn what kinds of books their children should be reading based upon their age and skill levels.