Year Round School Essay
When Americans think of year-round schooling, they immediately relate it to no summer vacation, which is the reason why most students and parents are negative towards the idea. Americans do not realize the advantages that year-round schooling offers. The definition of year-round schooling are schools that operate year-round, but have not increase the number of days students attend school (5). The decision to make a nine month calendar to a year-round school calendar is beneficial to parents and their children. The nine month calendar was created for children that helped their parents on the farm, which is not necessary in modern day .The amount of school days is still the same 180 days and students still get a “summer”, but it is just stretched out over a twelve-month period. During the breaks the children get to experience a helpful tutoring session called intersession.
Board of Educations around the country have been talking about year-round schooling for quite some time now. Year-round schooling first started in 1968, only one school in the country held classes through the summer (1). The year-round schooling idea seemed to become a growing trend. In 1999 2,681 public and 71 private schools followed the year-round schedule …show more content…
(1).
Year-round schooling normally runs on a 60-20 calendar, which is sixty days of school and twenty days off of school. The less popular choice is the 45-15 calendar, which is forty five days of school and fifteen days off. Year-round schooling also has a system called the multitrack calendar. The multitrack system expands the seating capacity of a school facility by separating the school into rotations (9). If the school normally seats 1,000 you could sit up to 1,333 increasing the capacity by thirty three percent (9). School site accommodates 20-30% more students (9). The multitrack calendar divides the entire student body and staff into different tracks, where only three fourths of the school’s students are actually in school at one time (9). Normally there will be around four to five tracks (9). Year-round schooling is also known for the number of “tracks” it uses (9). This relieves the overcrowding that most schools have trouble with (9). Of course like all new systems there are a few problems, such as when one group of teachers and students are “off track” every school event must be scheduled more than once in order to accommodate those not present (8).
During year-round schooling students still get quarterly breaks (5). Which means students still get to keep holiday breaks such as spring break, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and two to three week breaks throughout the year. Summer vacation is cut in half, but there still will be five to six weeks off during the summer months (3).
There are benefits and disadvantages for year-round schooling. There are mostly benefits in year-round schooling, such as the year-round schooling calendar increases students’ performance (2). One of the biggest benefits is that year-round school prevents learning loss (4). “Students struggle to remember skills and content they often have not used for several months.” (6). One reason why schools switch to year-round schooling is to combat summer learning loss (6). During the nine month calendar teachers spend weeks re-teaching and renewing old material they learned the year before (4). Summer learning loss happens more with math, spelling, and reading (6). During the year-round school year students “get” everything they need to learn because they have a full 180 days to learn the material (4). With the shorter breaks the more the students will receive enrichment education (10). Students will no longer be having difficulties and can help students with lower grades and help them improve (10). With the year-round schooling, scheduling family vacations will be easier to plan because of the shorter breaks throughout the year (10). The calendar options are more likely to fit changing lifestyles and work patterns (9).
The year-round schooling has a benefit they can give to all the students.
Since school is year-round the students that normally do not eat healthy meals during the summer can eat healthy meals at school (5). Cafeterias are open serving breakfast and lunch during the school day, and students who are “off track” can come in and eat the meals the school provided that day (2). Year-round schooling is beneficial for students with low-income families (6). Students with low-income made similar achievement gains just like the other students during the school year (6). Year-round schooling offers breaks throughout the year, which creates flexibility for students, teachers, and parents (1). The breaks give opportunities to take shorter vacations
(1).
Children’s test scores are normally the most important thing in school, it tells the teachers how well the students are retaining the information they are teaching. Some believe students make better test scores with year-round schools (8). The test scores, especially in math, slip when they are out of school for the summer (1). “Children’s achievement in reading and math improve slightly with year-round education.”(1). Students are becoming globally-competitive because they are well provided with education (10).
Even though most people are against year-round schooling, most are for it. There are three major reasons why people are for year-round schooling. Housing additional students is one major reason why people are for year-round schooling (8). The population is growing and we need room for all the new students. The second major reason for year-round schooling is to improve students’ achievement (8). The third major reason is saving money (8). Depending on the climate, it may cost more or less for heating and cooling (8).
Year-round schooling was created to benefit the students. The “breaks” the students get every 60 or 45 day are called intercessions. Intercessions are a time to volunteer, get jobs, involve themselves with positive activities, participate in field trips, special projects, or go on vacation (2). Volunteering helps students figure out what they want to do in life for a career, or it gives them the opportunity to just be helpful around the community. During the intercessions some schools have opportunities to let students relearn material and get extra help or practice on certain subjects. Intercessions are also helpful for working parents who cannot find a place for their children to go during the day (5).
The disadvantages for year-round schooling are very different from the advantages. Most parents fight against the idea of year-round schooling for numerous reasons (3). One reason is that students will get tired of going to school. Which means students will not try as hard on assignments or in class because they are tired of the same routine. Students will learn, but they are likely to forget everything after a certain period of time because of environmental factors (10). When students are sitting in the classroom during a hot summer day they will be wishing they were outside playing. Not to mention the summer camps the students wish they could attend but are not able to due to year-round schooling (4). Not only will the students not learn anything, but the maintenance cost will be higher, including utilities, maintenance, furniture, supplies, equipment and transportation (4). Some maintenance requires more than fifteen to twenty days to be completed so maintenance will have to be done during the night and on weekends (9). Even though students will get tired, the staff will be going through the same experience. Due to working through summer, finding teachers will be a task because most of the teacher population becomes a teacher because of the benefits such as having the summer and holidays off.
In addition to the disadvantages, figuring out how to plan around the multitrack system will be a challenge. When there is one family with two students on different tracks, where will the one student go while the other one is in school (1)? Also with separate childcare custody, finding a place for the child to go will be difficult (1). On the other hand, when all children attend schooling during the nine month calendar, if a neighbor or policemen saw a child playing in October, that community member could urge the child to go to school. With the year-round schooling and the multitrack calendar figuring out who is in school and who is not will be difficult.
How much work is it for the teachers and caretakers? Even though there are breaks during the year-round schooling calendar, the highest concern with the program is administrator burnout (8). Constantly having to grade papers, create test and figuring out how to teach a certain topic can be stressful. Not getting a whole summer to help prep for the next year is a major loss for teachers and makes their work more difficult. Equally important, the custodians or “caretakers” have to work all throughout the year constantly to keep the school nice and tidy for the students and staff. Some projects or repairs that have to be done take ample amount of time and cannot be done during the school days, so when do they take care of the situation (8)? Somewhere there will need to be a break for the caretakers to take care of their duties throughout the year.
Furthermore there are some statistics and quotes that are given out by schools that have tried the year-round calendar and have experienced the good and the bad of each situation. One school in Orem, Utah goes for eleven months each year, on a sixty-fifteen (60 days on, 15 days off) calendar (8). Orem also had a month off in July for a “summer vacation”, they also receive two weeks off for winter and one week off for spring (8). In addition to the statistics are quotes that some administrators said about the year-round schooling. According to one administrator, “In five years, there was never time when I could get a vacation. There was only a two week period when all the kids are gone—but that is when administrators need to plan.” (8). After the first two years, “my head was spinning. I never, ever, had a break. In fact, in the eight years I was in year-round schedule, a week and a half off was the most time I ever took. There is virtually no down tome. As one track leaves for a break, a new track comes in.” says a year-round principal (8).
In general, there are tons of opinions about the year-round calendar. There are an equal amount of advantages and disadvantages, which makes the decision hard to choose which calendar is better for the students and everyone else it deals with. The year-round calendar was created to benefit the students and not for personal reasons. Benefiting the students is the best way to make this country better. By creating great students will make the future a better place. Even though the year-round schooling has disadvantages, they can be worked around and can make a great system for the future of the United States.
Board of Educations around the country have been talking about year-round schooling for quite some time now. Year-round schooling first started in 1968, only one school in the country held classes through the summer (1). The year-round schooling idea seemed to become a growing trend. In 1999 2,681 public and 71 private schools followed the year-round schedule …show more content…
(1).
Year-round schooling normally runs on a 60-20 calendar, which is sixty days of school and twenty days off of school. The less popular choice is the 45-15 calendar, which is forty five days of school and fifteen days off. Year-round schooling also has a system called the multitrack calendar. The multitrack system expands the seating capacity of a school facility by separating the school into rotations (9). If the school normally seats 1,000 you could sit up to 1,333 increasing the capacity by thirty three percent (9). School site accommodates 20-30% more students (9). The multitrack calendar divides the entire student body and staff into different tracks, where only three fourths of the school’s students are actually in school at one time (9). Normally there will be around four to five tracks (9). Year-round schooling is also known for the number of “tracks” it uses (9). This relieves the overcrowding that most schools have trouble with (9). Of course like all new systems there are a few problems, such as when one group of teachers and students are “off track” every school event must be scheduled more than once in order to accommodate those not present (8).
During year-round schooling students still get quarterly breaks (5). Which means students still get to keep holiday breaks such as spring break, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, and two to three week breaks throughout the year. Summer vacation is cut in half, but there still will be five to six weeks off during the summer months (3).
There are benefits and disadvantages for year-round schooling. There are mostly benefits in year-round schooling, such as the year-round schooling calendar increases students’ performance (2). One of the biggest benefits is that year-round school prevents learning loss (4). “Students struggle to remember skills and content they often have not used for several months.” (6). One reason why schools switch to year-round schooling is to combat summer learning loss (6). During the nine month calendar teachers spend weeks re-teaching and renewing old material they learned the year before (4). Summer learning loss happens more with math, spelling, and reading (6). During the year-round school year students “get” everything they need to learn because they have a full 180 days to learn the material (4). With the shorter breaks the more the students will receive enrichment education (10). Students will no longer be having difficulties and can help students with lower grades and help them improve (10). With the year-round schooling, scheduling family vacations will be easier to plan because of the shorter breaks throughout the year (10). The calendar options are more likely to fit changing lifestyles and work patterns (9).
The year-round schooling has a benefit they can give to all the students.
Since school is year-round the students that normally do not eat healthy meals during the summer can eat healthy meals at school (5). Cafeterias are open serving breakfast and lunch during the school day, and students who are “off track” can come in and eat the meals the school provided that day (2). Year-round schooling is beneficial for students with low-income families (6). Students with low-income made similar achievement gains just like the other students during the school year (6). Year-round schooling offers breaks throughout the year, which creates flexibility for students, teachers, and parents (1). The breaks give opportunities to take shorter vacations
(1).
Children’s test scores are normally the most important thing in school, it tells the teachers how well the students are retaining the information they are teaching. Some believe students make better test scores with year-round schools (8). The test scores, especially in math, slip when they are out of school for the summer (1). “Children’s achievement in reading and math improve slightly with year-round education.”(1). Students are becoming globally-competitive because they are well provided with education (10).
Even though most people are against year-round schooling, most are for it. There are three major reasons why people are for year-round schooling. Housing additional students is one major reason why people are for year-round schooling (8). The population is growing and we need room for all the new students. The second major reason for year-round schooling is to improve students’ achievement (8). The third major reason is saving money (8). Depending on the climate, it may cost more or less for heating and cooling (8).
Year-round schooling was created to benefit the students. The “breaks” the students get every 60 or 45 day are called intercessions. Intercessions are a time to volunteer, get jobs, involve themselves with positive activities, participate in field trips, special projects, or go on vacation (2). Volunteering helps students figure out what they want to do in life for a career, or it gives them the opportunity to just be helpful around the community. During the intercessions some schools have opportunities to let students relearn material and get extra help or practice on certain subjects. Intercessions are also helpful for working parents who cannot find a place for their children to go during the day (5).
The disadvantages for year-round schooling are very different from the advantages. Most parents fight against the idea of year-round schooling for numerous reasons (3). One reason is that students will get tired of going to school. Which means students will not try as hard on assignments or in class because they are tired of the same routine. Students will learn, but they are likely to forget everything after a certain period of time because of environmental factors (10). When students are sitting in the classroom during a hot summer day they will be wishing they were outside playing. Not to mention the summer camps the students wish they could attend but are not able to due to year-round schooling (4). Not only will the students not learn anything, but the maintenance cost will be higher, including utilities, maintenance, furniture, supplies, equipment and transportation (4). Some maintenance requires more than fifteen to twenty days to be completed so maintenance will have to be done during the night and on weekends (9). Even though students will get tired, the staff will be going through the same experience. Due to working through summer, finding teachers will be a task because most of the teacher population becomes a teacher because of the benefits such as having the summer and holidays off.
In addition to the disadvantages, figuring out how to plan around the multitrack system will be a challenge. When there is one family with two students on different tracks, where will the one student go while the other one is in school (1)? Also with separate childcare custody, finding a place for the child to go will be difficult (1). On the other hand, when all children attend schooling during the nine month calendar, if a neighbor or policemen saw a child playing in October, that community member could urge the child to go to school. With the year-round schooling and the multitrack calendar figuring out who is in school and who is not will be difficult.
How much work is it for the teachers and caretakers? Even though there are breaks during the year-round schooling calendar, the highest concern with the program is administrator burnout (8). Constantly having to grade papers, create test and figuring out how to teach a certain topic can be stressful. Not getting a whole summer to help prep for the next year is a major loss for teachers and makes their work more difficult. Equally important, the custodians or “caretakers” have to work all throughout the year constantly to keep the school nice and tidy for the students and staff. Some projects or repairs that have to be done take ample amount of time and cannot be done during the school days, so when do they take care of the situation (8)? Somewhere there will need to be a break for the caretakers to take care of their duties throughout the year.
Furthermore there are some statistics and quotes that are given out by schools that have tried the year-round calendar and have experienced the good and the bad of each situation. One school in Orem, Utah goes for eleven months each year, on a sixty-fifteen (60 days on, 15 days off) calendar (8). Orem also had a month off in July for a “summer vacation”, they also receive two weeks off for winter and one week off for spring (8). In addition to the statistics are quotes that some administrators said about the year-round schooling. According to one administrator, “In five years, there was never time when I could get a vacation. There was only a two week period when all the kids are gone—but that is when administrators need to plan.” (8). After the first two years, “my head was spinning. I never, ever, had a break. In fact, in the eight years I was in year-round schedule, a week and a half off was the most time I ever took. There is virtually no down tome. As one track leaves for a break, a new track comes in.” says a year-round principal (8).
In general, there are tons of opinions about the year-round calendar. There are an equal amount of advantages and disadvantages, which makes the decision hard to choose which calendar is better for the students and everyone else it deals with. The year-round calendar was created to benefit the students and not for personal reasons. Benefiting the students is the best way to make this country better. By creating great students will make the future a better place. Even though the year-round schooling has disadvantages, they can be worked around and can make a great system for the future of the United States.