Calendar change
In the opinion section of the Des Moines Register, an editorial was written about considering a longer academic year (http://bit.ly/tLQnst). The United States has one of the shortest academic calendars among advanced countries. We are currently educating students 180 days a year. Thailand, Hong Kong, Finland, and Nigeria all have academic calendars of 200 days, and some countries have calendars up to 240 days.
The academic calendar that has become standard in most districts is one that was written when most of America was prairie and farmland. It’s time for some change. Like most teachers I find myself spending September reviewing material students had forgotten over the summer.
In an urban district as Des Moines Public Schools, many students spend the summer in front of the television, unsupervised, and un-stimulated. Many parents are unable to have an alternative summer schedule to be home with their children. With the dropping test scores, and an increased number of at risk students, it is time to consider a calendar change.
The next question is how to support a longer academic calendar. Financially can districts afford the cost of increased salaries and building maintenance? According to the proposed 2012-2013 budget there is barely funding to support the programs currently in schools. A longer academic year may make teaching a less desirable occupation to some. With some creative discussions a sustainable schedule can be found.
Kim--
ReplyDeleteGood issue that is going to become more of a discussion point with the blueprint in Iowa. From what I gather Jason Glass is trying to promote, indirectly, year around schools. I will be curious to see how the state of Iowa, since we are fairly conservation, with embrace this topic.
In terms of 180 days of school, our school has an innovative calendar, where we have 2 less days of school. We have 4 days in our school year where the Middle School has citizenship days, the first day of school and last day of school is limited academics, the day before Spring and Christmas break is little academics, and we have a Friday off once a semester for conferences. That leaves at most 168 days of academics.
There are some fundamental issues that will need to get figured out with the length of the academic year and the pressure of Iowa to not lose more ground on other states.