Cell Phones and How They Changed Us Socially
Year Round Schools and the Effect They Have on Summer Learning Loss
Chad Jackson
Virginia Wesleyan College
INST 482-02
Year Round Schools and the Effect They Have on Summer Learning Loss
The calendar used by most school systems in our country is based on the agrarian society that we once were. Many have begun thinking that this system has become too old fashioned for our changing lifestyles. Thus the concept of year-round schools has come to be. The idea behind these schools is not new to the United States. Year-round schools have were used as early as the 19th century continuing on to today (Roger, 1993).The change in thinking has come from many reasons that range from the possible increase in retention rates to lessening overcrowding in our schools. Many argue that redoing the school year in this manner would cut back on summer learning loss as well (Holland, 2009). This literature review will focus on: What exactly is a year round school? What are the possible positives and negatives associated with these schools? And more importantly, what effect do year round schools have on summer learning loss in elementary age students?
Definition
The majority schools in America have run on a ten month system for as long as public education has been available to all, when children were needed during the three months of summer to work in the fields (Kelly). According to Cuban (2008), author of “The Perennial Reform: Fixing School Time,” the author has noted, “by the 1960s, however, policy makers and parents became concerned about students losing ground academically during the vacation months—which became known as “summer loss”—which gained support for year round schooling” (p. 241). These year round schools operate on the same 180 day schedule as traditional schools; but they have shorter breaks that are dispersed more evenly throughout the year, without a big three month break in the summer (Yeager, 2011). According to the California Department of Education there
Chad Jackson
Virginia Wesleyan College
INST 482-02
Year Round Schools and the Effect They Have on Summer Learning Loss
The calendar used by most school systems in our country is based on the agrarian society that we once were. Many have begun thinking that this system has become too old fashioned for our changing lifestyles. Thus the concept of year-round schools has come to be. The idea behind these schools is not new to the United States. Year-round schools have were used as early as the 19th century continuing on to today (Roger, 1993).The change in thinking has come from many reasons that range from the possible increase in retention rates to lessening overcrowding in our schools. Many argue that redoing the school year in this manner would cut back on summer learning loss as well (Holland, 2009). This literature review will focus on: What exactly is a year round school? What are the possible positives and negatives associated with these schools? And more importantly, what effect do year round schools have on summer learning loss in elementary age students?
Definition
The majority schools in America have run on a ten month system for as long as public education has been available to all, when children were needed during the three months of summer to work in the fields (Kelly). According to Cuban (2008), author of “The Perennial Reform: Fixing School Time,” the author has noted, “by the 1960s, however, policy makers and parents became concerned about students losing ground academically during the vacation months—which became known as “summer loss”—which gained support for year round schooling” (p. 241). These year round schools operate on the same 180 day schedule as traditional schools; but they have shorter breaks that are dispersed more evenly throughout the year, without a big three month break in the summer (Yeager, 2011). According to the California Department of Education there