Year-round schooling is occurring more and more around the nation. Wildman et al. (1999) established three main reasons for restructuring to a year-round school: (a) house additional students, (b) improve student achievement, …show more content…
All students follow the same schedule. Depending on the amount of students enrolled, using a single-track may not be an option. Multi-tracks are used at schools with high enrollment. Students are separated into different groups and groups are placed on different schedules. For example, if it is a five-track schedule, one track is always on break throughout an implemented rotation. With single-track and multi-track, Tracy Huebner (2010) states, “in the 45-15 model, students attend school for 45 days and then have a 15-day break; in the 60-20 model, students attend school for 60 days and then break for 20 days” (p. 83-84). The extended school year approach adds an average of 20 days to the end of the year. Mid-year breaks are not altered and schedules remain the same. Students simply attend school more into the summer …show more content…
Year-round schooling is also extremely beneficial for low-income students and families. Alan Dessoff (2011) states, “typically, low-income and minority children don’t have the same kind of access to summer programming as other children do” (p. 36). Huebnar (2010) agrees and shares, “Students, parents, and teachers who participate in a year-round school tend to have positive attitudes about the experience” (p. 83). Students get excited for their track breaks throughout the year and parents are not overwhelmed with finding child-care for a three month long break.
While studies are not conclusive in their findings on the comparison between nine-month schools and year-round schools, year-round schools have proven to be effective throughout many school districts. Costs are lowered, achievement is higher, at risk students are closing learning gaps, and parents, students, and staff are more satisfied. Students receive continual education and support. Wildman et al. (1999) claims, “Year-round education is founded on the belief that students learn best and retain more information longer in a continual education program” (p.