Support a 240 day "year around" school schedule?

[questioner]

Around the world, many Countries are sending their kids to school "year around", for about 240 days a year. These are the countries we are competing with in the world economy.

While many school districts in the United States have moved to a year around schedule, it still is not very popular and the kids still attend classes about 185 days a year.

Would you support a year around 240 class dayschedule, if the added cost could be covered somehow without raising taxes?

(If I were 13 years old I would be strongly against the idea- as an adult, I am mixed- looking for insteresting debate)

 

[septbride2002]

Yep!
~Amanda

 

[Mermaid02]

Nope!

 

[wvrevy]

Absolutely ! A longer school year allows for much greater depth of study, and still allows for many "breaks" throughout the year. The only reason for "summer vacation" in the first place was to allow farm kids to help tend the family's crops. Somehow, I don't think that's quite the issue it was when the standard was instituted.

 

[Planogirl]

I'd have to see research showing that more days will make a difference. I think that the kids work awfully hard as it is.

 

[Galahad]

I think a year round schedule that doesn't increase the number of school days each year is a step in the right direction. Most research supports the notion that it is better. I haven't seen any research that suggests than adding 60 more days of school each year would improve things that much - but I certainly could be persuaded.

 

[indigoxtreme]

I think this would be a day care nightmare. I guess if it was instituted all around and all the day care facilities had to go with the 2 weeks the children are out at the time then so be it. Also this would be a huge problem with high school due to activities etc. I have a personal belief that many people think it would solve their day care issues and they wouldn't have to spend so much for that summer day care. That will not be the case, as you will have to find somewhere for your children to stay the few weeks every 10 that they are out of school and I find that the stopping and starting school after these type of long period break are hard on the children. Many teachers (Elem) will tell you that after the winter break they have to review alot with their students to get them back on track. I think this is a double edged sword and would not want my young children to do this.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I don't see how you could do this without raising taxes. For example, I work 190 days a year now (185 teaching days leaving 5 "snow days" if needed; 5 teacher work/inservice days). You would be adding roughly 33% more days to my teaching year. How would you expect me to do that without more money? I know, "greedy teachers", but who in any profession would work that many more days without compensation? In the state of Ohio everyone is all taxed out--many districts are at bare bones because the state funding system is very VERY flawed--and no one would be willing to raise taxes for this. Remember, staffing is the #1 expense in most districts.
My niece in NC is in "year round school" but she has the same amount of days, just a different schedule. That sounds doable but unless my building gets AC it won't happen in my district.
Robin M.

 

[snoopy]

Nope!

 

[cardaway]

Definately in favor.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Actually, yes. My kids are just way too bored in the summer and I think they lose some of their skills during the summer.

 

[MagicalMom]

Can it start tomorrow???

 

[Papa Deuce]

nope... not for little ones. I think they need a break.

 

[Nancy]

No way. First off, the northern eastern states (at least my school district) doesn't have AC in the schools. The heat would be unbearable to the kids, especially if we keep having summers like this. They would have to install central air in all school buildings. How could they do that without added taxes. PLUS the teachers are working more days and would require a pay increase. ALSO, my kids are just totally burned out by the end of the school year. They need a break and so do I! My kids aren't in day care so that isn't an issue for me. Why do we have to compete with anyone? Why can't we just let kids be kids...it worked for me growing up.

 

[zulaya]

I am for year round school, but I don't know that an extra 50 days or so would be necessary, just break it up and do 9 weeks on, 2 weeks off or whatever. 2 weeks is plenty of re-charge time for kids and teachers.

Teacher pay...I don't know where Rock N Robin works, but here teachers can choose to receive their pay over the 9 month school year, or over 12 months so they have their income over the summer. When you look at all the time off a teacher gets, compared to some people who get only 2 weeks paid vacation, or even my dad as an exec who gets 5 weeks, you still end up ahead of the game. Not trying to start anything, just commenting.

 

[questioner]

From the orginal Poster:

For the sake of argument all schools would go with the same schedule all over the country and the money to pay for the year around 240 day school year -- would come from the federal government from the money we are wasting in Iraq.

 

[zulaya]

I think you need to look at it this way. Burnout happens because they go so long with NO BREAK. What if you had a 2 week vacation every 2 months? Just as an example.

 

[DisneyDotty]

I think this is a great idea for several reasons:
1. Teachers don't have to waste time reviewing last year's material at the beginning of the school year/students retain knowledge better.
2. Would allow for more flexibility in scheduling/units of study.
3. Would allow my family to finally take vacations other than during summer, Christmas and Spring Break (School administrator family here)

I don't think daycare would be an issue--daycare centers are in the business to serve families, and would accommodate their schedules for the new school schedule--they'd HAVE to, or go out of business.
Also don't think it would be too long without a break--some of the year-round schools I'm familiar with go 6 weeks on, 2 weeks off. Sounds like more breaks during the year, actually.
**Sigh**I do not think taxpayers would support this with their pocketbooks, though. But if the school calendar year could be made so that teachers still work 185 days--just spread those days out more with a shorter summer break, then I think it's feasible.

I'm a radical in that I support a total rethinking of our school schedule. High schoolers having to catch a bus at 6:30 a.m. is insane.
Good topic--thanks for giving me something to chew on...

 

[cl1067]

I wouldn't support it...I think kids need extended periods to be just kids for one. And the second, for a climate like ours in South Dakota, it would just plain suck. Why would my kids want to be out of school in January or February when its freezing cold with snow on the ground.

And face it, there is no way you could get every school district in the country to be on the same schedule...you can't even get school districts in the same state to do that...and I'm personally against too much legislation on a federal level for our schools. The people in Washington are not in individual schools and districts on a day to day basis to know the problems their "useful" legistlation causes.

ETA: I don't think that a year round school would eliminate the reviewing the teachers do. This is the way most of us learn...to be taught something and then review it and review it again.

 

[elgerber]

I think you need to look at it this way. Burnout happens because they go so long with NO BREAK. What if you had a 2 week vacation every 2 months? Just as an example.

That I would be OK with, but 240 days in school a year, is 48 weeks of school. That would only leave you with 4 weeks off for the while year, or about 5 1/2 months on, and 2 weeks off. I don't think that's enough of a break.