10 Big Reasons We Need to Reinvent the School Year

The American school year has been largely unchanged for decades, despite evolutions in culture, demographics, technology, and a wide range of other social and economic factors. In our increasingly global economy, this is starting to become a disadvantage, especially as students in many school districts are struggling to meet national standards and are simply unable to keep up with their international counterparts, many of whom spend many more hours in the classroom than they do.

While there is no one magic solution to reforming schools, many districts around the nation have sought to level the playing field by adding more time to the school day or school year to more closely match those of other nations. While some changes have been more successful than others, what is clear is that the school year that worked for students decades ago simply isn’t practical for today’s students. Read on to find out some of the biggest reasons many are moving to extend or rearrange the school year for American students.

1. Flexibility in the length of high school could help students better prepare for college.

   For high school students performing at the high and low ends of the spectrum, some reforms to the school year could be a good thing. In some communities, highly-motivated students are being allowed to finish their high school course work in only three years, rather than four. This opens up opportunities for them to take on internships or get some of their general education requirements for college out of the way, and keeps them challenged and motivated rather than bored in classes that are too easy for them. Of course, some high school students aren’t ready for the challenges of college and the working world when they’re only 16 or 17. Other school districts are proposing programs that offer students a five-year high school program, with students graduating not only with their diplomas but also with an Associate’s or two years’ worth of college credits. With a tough job market out there, anything that equips students with more skills to make it on their own is probably a good thing, and greater flexibility in the length of high school could be one way to accomplish that.

2. Students do better with a shorter summer break.

   Summer break may be fun for students, but it doesn’t do their grades or test scores any favors. In fact, studies have found that students often regress over a long summer break, forgetting as much as two months of information in science and math. Many schools around the nation have begun switching to year-round schedules which still allow students (and teachers) time off, but spread it out throughout the year so the impact of time away from school is reduced.

3. Longer school years have an even more profound impact on poor, urban settings.

   While all students stand to benefit from more time spent in school, studies are showing that students from poor, urban neighborhoods see the biggest gains from longer schools years. There are a variety of reasons for this, and some aren’t directly related to learning itself. In fact, one of the primary reasons for the benefit is that more time spent in school reduces time spent on the streets and unsupervised, where many disadvantaged children often get in trouble. Also, students from wealthier areas often see less of a gain from longer school years because they are more likely than their poorer counterparts to engage in educational activities while away from school, like visiting museums, going to the library, or even taking lessons.

4. Longer school days and years offer advantages for working parents.

   When schools get out around 3 p.m. and have numerous months off during the year, most working parents have to find someone to care for their children. This can mean extra costs and a lot of stress for working moms and dads, and that’s part of the reason why many are big fans of extended time spent in school. With a growing number of families headed by a single parent or by two working parents and childcare costs that can go into the thousands each month, it isn’t hard to see why less free time for kids would be supported by a lot of parents.

5. Studies have shown that longer school years can help.

   Studies on longer school years and extended days have produced mixed results. Some have found no connection between more school hours and better performance, while others have come to quite the opposite conclusion. While it’s unlikely that these previous studies will ever be entirely reconciled, a review of dozens of studies conducted over the past decade or more has shown that, in general, the longer students spend in school, the better off they are. While it may not be the ideal for every student, in some communities extending the school year could help students boost test scores, improve grades, and even reduce dropout rates.

6. The reasons behind the creation of summer vacation don’t really apply to modern life.

   Back in the day, many Americans worked on farms and the nation as a whole was far more rural. Families needed children at home during the summer to help work in the fields, but this isn’t really the norm for most families anymore. That’s one of the reasons many people are calling for a school year that more accurately reflects the needs of modern kids and their families, spreading out break times or allowing students fewer days off throughout the year.

7. Students often simply don’t have time to learn everything they need in a school year.

   Trying to meet state standards, help individual students, and make it though a whole textbook in a year is a pretty impossible task for most teachers working in the U.S. There simply isn’t enough time during the school year to get to each lesson they need to cover, and some report barely being able to make it through half of a standard textbook on math and science. Part of the problem is having to review material after long breaks like those in the summer but many feel they simply need more school days in order to be able to touch on material that students in other nations are learning. As a result, U.S. students often lag behind their foreign counterparts, with huge gaps in math and science achievement scores for some grade levels.

8. Some states are showing big gains with more school hours.

   Looking for a successful example of where changing up the school year has really worked? Take a look at results from a wide range of Massachusetts schools that participated in a program that extended their school days. Many of the schools reported big gains in test scores and student achievement, though the results weren’t consistent across the board. Administrators believe that this is because a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work, even when it comes to extending school hours, and that each school needs to determine the best model for its students and local community to see the best results.

9. Year-round school can also impact students’ overall health and well-being.

   The benefits of year-round schooling aren’t just found in higher GPAs and test scores. Other, less obvious effects of students spending more time in school can be found as well, especially in children who get their meals from school. Summer breaks and afternoons at home unsupervised often lead to students consuming greater amounts of junk food, rather than the healthier (or at least more balanced) meals provided by school cafeterias. In schools where students are still required to participate in gym, required exercise may also have a big impact on the health and well-being of students.

10. Quantity isn’t always a cure if quality is an issue.

    All the extra time in the world won’t help students if they’re not learning what they need to learn in schools, through good teachers and strong curricula. While many districts have been focusing on lengthening the school year or extending days, studies have shown that the quality of education students receive is a pivotal factor in determining whether those extra hours will actually make a difference. It’s important to remember that a longer school year, while possibly an effective way of helping students learn, is only one piece of the puzzle when it comes to reforming education in the U.S.

Taken From Online Colleges