Year-Round-Education?

The academic school year for many schools was finished in May and/or early June. However, some year-round-schools continue forward with classes, believing strongly that Year-Round-Education (YRE) is a much more effective educational scheduling strategy than the traditional school year. At Shreve Island Elementary School, in Shreveport, Louisiana, state exams, at least for elementary students, are proof that students are retaining more due to shorter, more frequent breaks from the academic setting. In this school, students get a six-week break after every nine weeks. During these breaks, struggling students are offered “camp” opportunities where they come in for an additional week of teacher instruction.

Year-Round-Schools (YRS) has been a topic of discussion for many years, but many argue that legitimate research as to the positive and/or negative effects of YRE has been sparse. It really wouldn’t take long to find a study that disputes that above findings. Science Daily printed an article based on an Ohio State University Study that claims YRS do not boost learning. The sociologist who provided said findings indicated that YRSs claim to fame was that students don’t lose academic ground with a long summer vacation, which is commonplace for schools that follow a traditional school schedule. However, the findings in this study really didn’t prove this the case. The fact is, that the loss in academic performance from a long summer break was equivalent to the combined loss from the YRSs three to four breaks. The primary benefit, as research backs, is that YRE helps very populated, often overcrowded schools, vary student schedules to make better use of the facility and allow for students to be in school while others are on break.

In other research, the University of Minnesota’s, Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, conducted a review of literature in light of Minnesota Legislative changes to allow YRE in 1995. This research provided some general information on YRE models and differing schedules i.e. 60-20 or 45-15. The 60-20 schedule means 60 days in session followed by a 20-day break. And, at that time, the most popular YRE model, 45-15, 45 days in session followed by a 15-day break. The cumulative research effort and review of literature concluded that most of the prior YRE research did not meet their standards, resulting in a limited sample of evidence. However, the study could conclude that YRE was beneficial for upper elementary students and it likely contributed to improved teacher attitudes. The research also found that it again aided districts with larger enrollments, which struggled with lack of facilities.

YRE is fairly common these days, however I don’t have any personal experience with it. The information I have read would more or less support what I would assume to be the most beneficial results of YRE. What do you think? What advantages or disadvantages do you think YRE provides? Would it ever be considered in rural school districts where farmers want their kids at home helping with seeding, haying and harvest?