Year-round schools
Definition Institutions that use a calendar in
which students attend school approximately the
same number of days as in traditional schools
but buildings are utilized all year, with teams of
students and teachers attending throughout the
year in various configurations
Year-round education became a major factor during the
1990’s as schools attempted to maximize space and improve
performance.
Reports for the 1998-1999 school year indicated that
approximately 2,925 year-round schools existed
throughout the United States, a 500 percent in-
crease from ten years earlier, when only 494 public
schools in the United States were on a year-round
calendar. In addition, the number of students en-
rolled in year-round schools increased almost 400
percent, from 428,961 in the previous decade to
more than 2 million.
Year-round schools developed for two reasons.
First, they provide for efficient use of school build-
ings throughout the calendar year. Second, it has
long been noted that students lose ground academi-
cally during the traditional extended summer break.
Advocates of year-round education argue that it
helps students retain information from grade to
grade. The long summer vacation is often not con-
ducive to learning, and review time in the fall cuts
into the school’s teaching schedule. It is reported
that especially with students who have learning diffi-
culties, year-round school seems to help with reten-
tion. Critics counter that a traditional summer vaca-
tion is crucial to development and that children who
participate in an alternate calendar miss out on that
aspect of childhood. They also point out the many
scheduling problems that year-round calendars can
produce for families.
Typical Calendars The most popular calendar is
often called the 45-15 plan. The year is divided into
four nine-week terms, separated by four three-week
vacations. Four of these cycles yields 180 days of
school. Four additional weeks each year may be allo-
cated to winter holidays, spring vacation, and na-
tional, state, or local holidays. In a 45-15 multitrack
plan, students are divided into four groups. While
groups A, B, and C are in school, group D is on vaca-
tion. When group D returns, then group A is on vaca-
tion. This rotation system gives the school additional
teaching space (as one of the four groups is always
“not in school”). Each track has its own 45-15 sched-
ule of nine weeks in school and three weeks on vaca-
tion.
Another plan is a 60-20 plan, in which students at-
tend school for 60 days and are on vacation for 20
days. Students rotate through the year until they
have had three 60-day terms and three 20-day vaca-
tions. Other plans include a 60-15 plan (60 days of
instruction with 15 days of vacation) and a 90-30
plan (two 90-day semesters separated by a 30-day va-
cation period twice a year). A final plan could be
called a quarter plan. The calendar is divided into
four twelve-week periods: fall, winter, spring, and
summer. Students may select, or be assigned to, any
combination of three of the four quarters.Benefits and Problems In the 1990’s, year-round
scheduling was promoted as a way to combat over-
crowding as an alternative to the capital construc-
tion of new buildings, which can cost taxpayers mil-
lions of dollars. Some districts chose year-round
calendars because of the potential benefits for stu-
dents and teachers: for students, a more continuous
learning time line, a reduced need for review, and
the opportunity to utilize optional remediation pro-
grams offered during intercessions; for teachers,
less absenteeism and less time reviewing material
that they have already taught. Proponents claimed
that year-round education could result in a marked
improvement in overall school performance, espe-
cially if students come from a home environment
that does not reinforce school learning, and that
both students and teachers would feel more enthusi-
astic and motivated about school.
On the other hand, critics argued that imple-
menting a year-round calendar was a complicated
process requiring the commitment not only from
school staff and students but from parents and the
community as well. The initial cost of setting up
a year-round program was sometimes high. Reno-
vations, such as extra storage and air condition-
ing, were often required for the program to run
smoothly. Some of the savings resulting from year-
round programs were offset by increased costs to the
district, such as additional office or teaching staff.
Other problems included less time for large-scale
cleaning and maintenance; greater wear and tear on
buildings; a complex scheduling process, causing956 Year-round schools The Nineties in America