We’ve all seen the scenes in movies where students in a classroom eagerly wait for the last bell to ring, and when it does, all the kids cheer in unison, some even throwing their papers in the air with glee. The students rush out of the building, excited to begin their summer vacation. This scene reflects the excitement and elation surrounding summer break, something both students and teachers share. The idea of lazy days spent relaxing at the beach, far from books and exams, is why the love for summer is so prevalent today. It is also this exact notion that makes year-round schooling a tough sell.
Year-round schooling has gained traction in certain areas of the United States. Still, it remains relatively uncommon, largely because of the cultural resistance of many Americans who deeply value and are accustomed to the traditional summer break. The goal is not to take away time off for students and teachers, however; rather, it is to create a more balanced calendar that promotes better learning outcomes for all students. Vacation days would still be included in this calendar, but some weeks from summer break should be more evenly distributed throughout the year.
A year-round calendar improves retention for students by providing better continuity of learning throughout the school year. Parents and teachers alike have witnessed the effects of “summer slide” on students, especially those from low-income families. The break is simply too long, causing regression in academic performance, as students are unlikely to review the material they learned during the school year while on break. In the article, “Learning Loss: A Summer Problem,” Caitlyn Munro says that “it is not uncommon for students to lose two months of previously learned math skills every summer.” This loss can be attributed to students viewing math as a “school-only concept and not practicing their skills over their break,” causing them to have to relearn again in the next school year, wasting time for the teachers and themselves. These setbacks may also accumulate over time, causing them to lag behind their peers, especially those from low-income families. By the time students begin middle school, this achievement gap can put students from low-income families one or two years behind grade level. A year-round calendar could help these children improve academically, particularly those who are most at risk.
It’s also important to note the drastic academic setbacks and learning gaps seen in student learning ever since the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic continues to leave its mark on students, especially those coming from low-income families, as seen in studies that show how the gap between them and other students still remains at large and that many are still far from a full recovery. A year-round school calendar would help these students recover and shorten the academic gaps between them and their peers from higher-income families. Many parents hope to see their children develop their English and math skills by supporting this plan, which enables their children to get more time in school. Long summer vacation disproportionately impacts low-income students, thus year-round schooling is a solution that can help mitigate this inequity.
Some have argued that there are available summer programs and activities that can help combat the effects of summer slide, which is true. As stated by Stephanie Pappas in her article, “School’s Out. Should You Worry about the ‘Summer Slide’?, there are numerous available programs, and many have shown to help students engage in activities that foster learning and enjoyment over academics.
The issue is the price tags that come with these summer programs, camps, and activities, an issue that generally makes parents shrink away. This contributes to the growing gap between students from higher-income families and those from low-income families, as some can afford the high costs of summer tutoring programs to help their children get ahead, while others cannot. Regular school is where students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds get their education and how they can receive extra help. But with the three-month summer break, they are faced with an overly large pause to their learning, causing them to fall behind. Lola Okolosie, a teacher, worries about the choices that parents have to make for their children. In her article, she refers to summer programs as a “pipe dream” for many parents who are unable to afford them. The parents are left to stress over “what to do with the kids over summer vacation [when they] are unable to afford the high cost of [a vacation] or when they remain home to juggle work and childcare.”
Year-round schooling will help prevent parents’ worries and lessen the worsening learning gap of students. These disparities are problematic and reinforce inequalities that shouldn’t apply to education to begin with. By switching to a more consistent and balanced learning schedule, all students, regardless of their socioeconomic background, can have equal opportunities to succeed in the classroom.
