By Chris Taylor Arkansas State University

  Year Round Schooling  History?  Traditional vs. Year Round?  Methods of Implementation?  Is it effective? School Calendar Reform

 School Calendar Reform? Summer Learning Loss Student Burnout Teacher Burnout Strain on school facilities The Issues

 School Calendar History  Traditional Calendar  Originated during Colonial times  School Year influenced by growing season  Rural students  3 to 6 months of school  Urban students  11 to 12 months of school

 School Calendar History, cont.  Early 20 th Century  Industrialization & Urbanization  Families move to cities  Public demand for standardized school year  Post World War II  180 day school year – unofficial standard

 School Calendar History, cont.  Year Round Calendar  1870s summer “Vacation Schools”  1907 – William Wirt  Superintendent of Gary, Indiana schools  50 weeks, 12 hours per day, 7 days per week  Other districts followed  Little Research During Depression & WW II

 School Calendar History, cont.  National Council On Year Round Education  Founded 1972  Voluntary organization  Classroom space  21 st Century  NCYRE becomes official non-profit organization  Economic value

 Types of Year Round Schools Single Track  Most Common  Reduces Summer Learning Loss  45/15  Students and Faculty on same schedule Multi-Track  Maximizes Space  Maximizes Resources  Alternating Student Blocks  Lower student numbers on campus

 Types of Year Round Schools, cont. Extended Year  Least common method  Adds days to existing year  200 day year  Days added during summer

  Intersession  Key feature in all formats  Regularly scheduled breaks from instruction  Reduces student and teacher burnout  Can be coordinated with community for student enrichment opportunities Vacation

  Improvement in student achievement  Small increases  Low socio-economic students show improvement  Students with high educational background parents favor traditional calendar. Is it Effective?

  No cure all method  Research scattered  More research needed  Benefits may not outweigh difficulty of implementation Conclusion

 Alexander, K. L., Entwisle, D. R., & Olson, L. (2007). Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap. American Sociological Review, 72(2), Ballinger, C. E., & Kneese, C. (2006). School Calendar Reform: Learning in All Seasons. Lanham, Md: Rowman & Littlefield Education. Glines, D. (1997). YRE: Understanding the Basics. McMillen, B. J. (2001). A Statewide Evaluation of Academic Achievement in Year-Round Schools. Journal Of Educational Research, 95(2), 67. Mitchell-Hoefer, M. D. (2010, January 1). The Effects of a Year- Round School Calendar in a High-Risk Elementary School: A Comparative Study. ProQuest LLC. References