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[Piecake]

But for me, summer also means weeks of expensive camps, summer reading packets, and the challenge of trying to write articles amid dozens of interruptions. At several points during this year’s summer break, I found myself wishing that my kids were back in school.

Why is the school year almost always limited to 180 days? And why do most schools still operate on an agrarian calendar with a huge 12-week break in the middle? I imagine that very few children these days are needed to harvest produce on their family farms. And with the changes in parenting styles and the increasing number of dual-income families, today’s children have fewer opportunities to spend their summer days as they might have in the past—shooting hoops or drinking lemonade with buddies in the backyard. They’re far more likely to be enrolled in pricey extracurricular programs or otherwise spending their days at home alone, watching SpongeBob in their pajamas until noon as they slowly forget their math facts.

A large body of evidence suggests that the 12-week hiatus can have a lasting negative impact on kids’ educational outcomes. “The Summer Slide” results in several lost months of reading and math skills, particularly among children who come from lower-income households. Children from affluent families experience similar declines in their math skills, though some research indicates that, thanks to their parents’ emphasis on summer reading, such students may actually make slight gains in their language-arts skills during the summer months. In other words, the 12-week vacation may exacerbate income-based inequality in school achievement.

But again, that leaves individual families with the burden of figuring out and paying for activities to keep their kids busy during the summer months. Kids with means are often sent to camp or enrichment programs or private summer school. One study estimated that parents spend $16.6 billion total annually on summer activities for their children. According to the same study, parents estimated the cost of summer child care—including camp, swimming pools, day trips, and babysitting—at $433 per child ($642 for affluent families). In my area, the typical six-hour camp costs between $300 to $1000 per week with additional costs for bussing, food, and tips.

A longer school year does not necessarily require traditional classroom programming. In June and July, schools could, say, provide in-depth music, art, and athletic classes with just an hour or two spent on academics. Instruction could be provided by volunteers, parents, or other members of the community. Schools could supplement their budgets with contributions from localities and parents. Attendance could be voluntary to provide flexibility for different family needs. These programs might even create income for a school district, if they attracted tuition-paying children from nearby communities.

There is no question that families need help in the summer. While there isn't the political will to increase the number of traditional classroom days, creative policy-making could provide new options for summer instruction. In the meantime, I’m knee deep in beach towels and binders, more than ready for a return to the school routine.

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/09/the-case-for-a-shorter-summer/403531/

While I actually agree with the general sentiment, that long summer vacations are bad for student learning and especially exacerbate the achievement gap because middle class families can afford enriching activities while poor families cannot, I think her argument is rather poor.

It honestly sounds like she wants schools to become a year-round babysitting operation so she won't have to worry or pay for her kids activities.

I also don't think she really understands where the main opposition of this is coming from. It isnt the teachers or funding, but all of the businesses that depend on summer vacationers and summer workers. Perhaps it is different in other places, but summer vacation up at a cabin in middle to northern minnesota is absolutely huge, and it would completely destroy those economies if we moved to a year round school system.

I also disagree that a longer school year is what we need (I think that is just her itching for 'free' baby-sitting), but I would definitely agree that splitting that 3 month long summer vacation into three 1 month long breaks throughout the year would be a whole lot better. That won't happen though because you would run into huge opposition from businesses who depend on summer vacation. Plus, she would also have the same problem that she has now, finding activities for her kids to do and spending money.

Before anyone says that we should have year round schooling, well, good look finding ANY teacher to do that. Teachers have a huge burnout rate as it is, I can't imagine if you had year round schooling with no break, no opportunity to plan lessons, improve teaching, etc. You would basically need to hire a completely separate teaching staff for these months, which would again, just be babysitting.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

I'm in Canada, and I've always wondered why winter break isn't significantly longer. Going out to school in January and February in many parts of this country is really dangerous -- when its not stupidly cold it's slick with ice/snow everywhere. I'd rather see Jan/Feb off and schools open in July/August.

 

[peteykirch]

Also lot of schools don't have air conditioning, so classes during July or August would be unbearable.

 

[Battersea Power Station]

I'm all for spending money to provide parents with child-rearing resources, like extracurricular activities. As a nation, we don't focus nearly enough on how our children grow up.

But I'm categorically against expanding an already bloated school system that spends way too long to teach way too little.

Have more publically funded activities, but make them something fun, engaging, and hands-on.

 

[Dennis]

Think back to being a school kid.

Now imagine they were going to get rid of Summer Vacation.

There would be blood in the streets.

 

[Can Crusher]

So... summer break should be shorter because parents don't have time nor mind for that shit?

 

[radioactivez0r]

Is the year-round/"track" system - essentially 3 months on, 1 month off - not a common thing in the rest of the US? I had that system in middle school and it seems to be quite popular in elementary school these days. I live in central CA for what it's worth.

 

[freenudemacusers]

im not raising my kids in some post apocalpytic no summer vacation having commie wasteland

 

[Piecake]

Is the year-round/"track" system - essentially 3 months on, 1 month off - not a common thing in the rest of the US? I had that system in middle school and it seems to be quite popular in elementary school these days. I live in central CA for what it's worth.

It is very uncommon in Minnesota, and it wouldnt surprise me if it was very uncommon in pretty much all Northern states. Like I said in the op, Summer vacation is a huge business up here, especially for areas outside the metro area. It would absolutely destroy middle and northern Minnesota's economy. I would imagine that it is pretty similar it states that only have 3 months of hot weather as well.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Think back to being a school kid.

Now imagine they were going to get rid of Summer Vacation.

There would be blood in the streets.

Yeah, but its like the drinking age - people with voting power don't give a shit about stuff that has no opportunity to ever affect them again.

 

[antonz]

Her entire argument seems to come down to Kids at home get annoying after awhile and costly so throw them at school longer. There are "Year round" Districts around where I live and they basically break up summer into more time off throughout the year. They do not show significant performance improvements over the traditional districts

Academic achievement is always going to be lopsided no matter what happens. A Child that has a family that is deeply invested with them in their education is generally going to always come out ahead. Being at school longer is not going to change that either because once the kid goes home for the day he is on his own if the parents have no interest.

Most studies I have seen show a negligible advantage with year round with Traditional students scoring higher in initial testing and similar in final testing but because of the higher initial testing the increase is smaller than year round who tends to score worse in initial testing and scores similarly as traditional in final testing.

 

[Tripon]

You want more days of school, you need to pay teachers (and other staff) for it. Yeah, I get summers off, but those are unpaid days of work.

 

[WrenchNinja]

As someone who remembers being a kid, fuck that noise

 

[Data West]

I'd rather have the year round schedule with more days off throughout the year.

You run out of shit to do in the Summer.

 

[entremet]

Nah.

That would be terrible for kids. They need some down time.

 

[Tablo]

As someone who remembers being a kid, fuck that noise

.

 

[Volimar]

 

[unholyrevenger72]

If it were up to me, it would be year round but 3 weeks on, one week off

1. Summer Vacation is bad from a education standpoint
2. Economic inequality killed Summer Vacation

 

[Acerac]

Even as a child I thought 6 2 week vacations dispersed throughout the year would be way better than 1 3 month vacation. nobody agreed with me then, and the public opinion doesn't agree with me now.

Apparently 2 week vacations don't serve as sufficient downtime? After all, why have 6-8 vacations when you can have one?

Think back to being a school kid.

Now imagine they were going to get rid of Summer Vacation.

There would be blood in the streets.

You aren't lying.

The kids in my schools were pretty fucking stupid.

 

[Subpar Spatula]

I'd prefer school to not have 3 months off. Makes no sense since in British Columbia classes aren't able to teach every thing required for provincials. Or they can and they don't teach anything else. I remember Physics being bullet points on what will be on the provincial (still wasn't enough); I'm glad I took Geology as well because at least we did more hands on things because the information needed was small enough to allow it.

 

[Africanus]

Even as a secondary school student now I wish summer vacation were shorter so that I could retain some of this missing maths knowledge.

However, my school has terrible air conditioning in some parts and overly great air conditioning in other parts. Depending on the class, one can switch from the arctic to the tropics in 1 class period.

 

[anaron]

no thanks

summer was the best thing ever

 

[Mostmanlyman]

Summer is the only time where I am not stressing out over school. Even over winter break and on the weekends I have to do school work. I have the studying for test or doing homework I never seem to have that much free time or at least stress free time. Another thing is I can also get a job or internship during the summer with out having to be insanely busy.

 

[ItWasMeantToBe19]

Author didn't know that kids are annoying as fuck before she became a parent, sucker. I won't fall in the same trap when I'm old.

 

[Haly]

Yeah, summer undoes a lot of the work schools have to do. I would say more vacations, but shorter, throughout the year.

How about a trimester system like:

January, February, March: School
April: Break

May, June, July: School
August: Break

September, October, November: School
December: Break

 

[Coriolanus]

Maaan, in Brazil nowadays you get 1-2 weeks off in july and then half of december and three weeks in january, and that's about it. There's been a push to increase school hours too, from 7am all the way to 5-5:30pm, so parents can just drop their children at school and forget about them. Candidates at the last state/mayoral election were both running on increasing school hours.

Not a single word about increasing class quality, tho. Nah, just dump more hours onto them and fuck all the rest.

I'd be totes fine with getting rid of school starting so freaking early in the day and getting an extra day off per week, going by my memories of being a kid.

 

[Piecake]

Maaan, in Brazil nowadays you get 1-2 weeks off in july and then half of december and three weeks in january, and that's about it. There's been a push to increase school hours too, from 7am all the way to 5-5:30pm, so parents can just drop their children at school and forget about them. Candidates at the last state/mayoral election were both running on increasing school hours.

Not a single word about increasing class quality, tho. Nah, just dump more hours onto them and fuck all the rest.

I'd be totes fine with getting rid of school starting so freaking early in the day and getting an extra day off per week, going by my memories of being a kid.

Yeesh, at that point you might as well just give your children to the school and have the teachers and staff raise them.

Also, starting that early is actually quite bad for kids, especially high school age kids.

http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/08/why-school-should-start-later/401489/

 

[reggieandTFE]

My wife works at a charter school that starts three weeks earlier than the rest of Chicago public schools. According to her, the kids don't learn shit during those weeks as half the class doesn't show up and the long days and the heat screws with kids' expectations.

 

[SlickVic]

College always had the best schedule for me. 3 months for summer break, 1 month for winter break, with two 4 month semesters in between. I still remember in my last year there was some schedule quirk for the winter break and we wound up getting 5 weeks. I wound up clearing a large chunk of my game backlog during that time (too bad it's grown substantially since then).

I remember in grade school we got maybe 10 days off for the holidays, which in retrospect feels too short.

 

[captive]

A) where is this "three months summer" coming from? I know many schools that go into the end of may or start of freaking June now. And then they are back by mid august by the latest. I'm like damn, what the hell happened to summer? If it gets any shorter it's going to be like one week for the fourth of July.

B) Her argument is essentially my kids are annoying and they interrupt my work, therefore they should be in school. How bout set some better boundries?

 

[TheKaeptain]

I remember reading that kids would be better off if School started two weeks earlier and ended two weeks later. Two months is too much time and parents don't actually kept up the studying.

 

[Nickle]

I wish they would cut out one month of summer vacation and add more 1 week breaks + an extended winter break.

 

[kess]

Instead of standardizing school vacation schedules towards a one size fits all model, vacation might be tailored towards regional differences. A school in the middle of rural Mississippi is going to be much different than one on suburban New Jersey or urban Michigan, even before comparing tax bases.

Using Spongebob is a cheap rhetorical device, especially when dealing with people in middle school or later. Anecdotally, I used much of my extra time reading, but I was fortunate enough to have teachers who provided challenging material as well, and I took some language classes at the local community college before graduating high school.

Sadly, most of the local schools in the city where I live do not even have a art program so the alternative programming that the author describes is going to have to be instituted from scratch.

 

[BobLoblaw]

Maaan, in Brazil nowadays you get 1-2 weeks off in july and then half of december and three weeks in january, and that's about it. There's been a push to increase school hours too, from 7am all the way to 5-5:30pm, so parents can just drop their children at school and forget about them. Candidates at the last state/mayoral election were both running on increasing school hours.

Not a single word about increasing class quality, tho. Nah, just dump more hours onto them and fuck all the rest.

I'd be totes fine with getting rid of school starting so freaking early in the day and getting an extra day off per week, going by my memories of being a kid.

Nightmare fuel right there.

 

[Messofanego]

lol

 

[watershed]

Although summer learning loss is a very real and challenging educational issue, I honestly do not believe students spending more time in school is the answer to this problem or the many other problems we have in public education in America.

For me, I fear seeing our education system becoming more and more like the education cultures found in many Asian countries where students are essentially in school all year round and the answer to low test scores is more school and more studying. It feels like we are turning schools into factories and allowing economic and corporate interests to dictate the direction of public education (that has always been true, but I think it is becoming more extreme).

 

[The Beard]

Absolutely loved summer vacation growing up, so I can't get behind this.

Since when is summer vacation 3 months long? Around here they get out mid June and come back mid August.

 

[nckillthegrimace]

I distinctly remember forgetting chunks of math after summer break, but I don't think the solution is to increase the number of days kids are in school. Like, are you fucking kidding me? They're kids. Give them a goddamn break. They have like sixty years to become overworked husks. Let them have some downtime every once in a while. Maybe, I don't know, distribute the breaks better if "summer slide" is such a big deal.

And her bit about the average worker only getting 16 days vacation just makes me think everyone should get more days off, not that children should be forced to conform to a ridiculous adult scheme. Yes, I realize the irony of my position given the reason for summer break in the first place, but whatever. People need to chill out.

 

[liliththepale]

I appreciate a good long summer because it makes scheduling easier. If everybody's doing different vacations, camps, parties and whatnot, it makes it easier to find some time with different people when you have a longer break.

1. Summer Vacation is bad from a education standpoint

Not that I necessarily disagree, but do you have any data on this? Any research or studies on it? Thanks!

 

[orthodoxy1095]

I'd rather have the year round schedule with more days off throughout the year.

You run out of shit to do in the Summer.

That's what I'd like to have. Summer break was always great for the first few weeks, but by the time school started again, I'd be out of the classroom groove. I'd rather have a steady cadence with my learning than what we have now. I'd much rather space those three months out across the year.

Instead of standardizing school vacation schedules towards a one size fits all model, vacation might be tailored towards regional differences. A school in the middle of rural Mississippi is going to be much different than one on suburban New Jersey or urban Michigan, even before comparing tax bases.

Although I said I'd like to have a year-round schedule, I do agree that we shouldn't go with a one-size-fits-all model. Accounting of regional differences would be excellent.

 

[sikkinixx]

The university-like trimester system (3 months on, 1 off) is used around my parts in a few high/elementary schools. The parents who love it REALLY love it, while the majority dislike/tolerate it but grudgingly do accept so they can stay at that school from what I've been told by people who I know from that district.

A month away from school three times a year, once in the middle of fucking winter where some places especially back East or in the Prairies are buried in snow, doesn't exactly sound like a great time. Then what do the kids do? Sit inside all day? Drive their parents even more crazy? Or get flooded out in rainy spring?

As a teacher it wouldn't really bug me too much. At least I could afford cheaper holidays (Having to travel at basically peak times fucking sucks) by taking a cheaper winter trip to Europe or something.


Also: districts around here have been lengthening in the days by a few minutes (hence weird ass start times like 8:37 and finishing at 2:06 etc) while providing a few more days off each year so they can save money on extra staffing, power etc. School just closes for the day, have a skeleton crew of a janitor there just in case a couple teachers show up to a dark building to work. Don't have to pay subs that day (which is a MASSIVE expense). The last thing districts want is more in class time.

 

[watershed]

I appreciate a good long summer because it makes scheduling easier. If everybody's doing different vacations, camps, parties and whatnot, it makes it easier to find some time with different people when you have a longer break.


Not that I necessarily disagree, but do you have any data on this? Any research or studies on it? Thanks!

He's not wrong. Its a very real issue and teachers often feel that they spend the first month or so of school re-teaching last year's curriculum and re-teaching the norms of school behavior.

But it's one thing to say that summer learning loss is bad for education because students forget much of what they learn and another to think about whether summer vacation is bad from a developmental perspective. I think students, like all human beings, need breaks from their educational/vocational norm and being a student is the job of all K-12 children in America.

The issue I see is that non-educational issues, that is issues outside of the scope of the education system, have made the long summer vacation a source of widening inequity in our country. But this comes from income inequality, shifts in parental expectations, lack of opportunity, etc that are all beyond the ability of scope of education to address. The idea of shortening summer just hides these deeper societal issues by preventing them from becoming more apparent.

 

[Killer Queen]

I'm in Canada, and I've always wondered why winter break isn't significantly longer. Going out to school in January and February in many parts of this country is really dangerous -- when its not stupidly cold it's slick with ice/snow everywhere. I'd rather see Jan/Feb off and schools open in July/August.

Walking to class in -40 degree weather is fun I promise. But I prefer a long summer break to a winter one, because no ones going out to do anything in that weather at any point in time.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

A month away from school three times a year, once in the middle of fucking winter where some places especially back East or in the Prairies are buried in snow, doesn't exactly sound like a great time. Then what do the kids do? Sit inside all day? Drive their parents even more crazy? Or get flooded out in rainy spring?

Yep, it'd be a waste of everyone's time to give January or February off around here (Western New York). Some days you can't even leave your house if you wanted to lol.

We have, on a good year, about 3 or 4 months of "good" weather before it goes back to being too cold and wet to do anything. This year winter hung on until almost May (we still had icy roads in April).

A huge part of our tourism economy around here are summer festivals. Those would have to be scaled way back if kids didn't have the months off. And with that the summer economy tanks. The local amusement park would go from having two good months to make most of their money to one month and it would devastate them.

Some places rely on summer vacation for their tourism, because once October hits, than the snow apocalypse starts revving its engines and everyone starts getting miserable (and cold and wet).

 

[afreaknamedpete]

It would have cut down on the anxiety of resume padding in the middle of the summer. Between all the weird BS I had to do during summer I rather preferred the school days.

 

[liliththepale]

He's not wrong. Its a very real issue and teachers often feel that they spend the first month or so of school re-teaching last year's curriculum and re-teaching the norms of school behavior.

But it's one thing to say that summer learning loss is bad for education because students forget much of what they learn and another to think about whether summer vacation is bad from a developmental perspective. I think students, like all human beings, need breaks from their educational/vocational norm and being a student is the job of all K-12 children in America.

The issue I see is that non-educational issues, that is issues outside of the scope of the education system, have made the long summer vacation a source of widening inequity in our country. But this comes from income inequality, shifts in parental expectations, lack of opportunity, etc that are all beyond the ability of scope of education to address. The idea of shortening summer just hides these deeper societal issues by preventing them from becoming more apparent.

Yeah, that's why I'd like to see some research on the matter. For some reason, taking breaks is super helpful to humans. There's probably some way to find an optimal balance between work and break, but it would take a long time to figure out given the scope of a whole school year.

But I don't think "my poor kid didn't get to go to as many camps and vacations as the rich kids" is a good reason for shortening summer holiday. Rich kids are going to be spoiled more than poor kids regardless.

 

[watershed]

Yeah, that's why I'd like to see some research on the matter. For some reason, taking breaks is super helpful to humans. There's probably some way to find an optimal balance between work and break, but it would take a long time to figure out given the scope of a whole school year.

But I don't think "my poor kid didn't get to go to as many camps and vacations as the rich kids" is a good reason for shortening summer holiday. Rich kids are going to be spoiled more than poor kids regardless.

Here ya go. These are a good primer:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Summer_learning_loss
http://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/articles/primer-on-summer-reading-loss.htm
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/how-to-beat-summer-learning-loss-anne-obrien

 

[White_sox]

That first paragraph made me cringe - much of my problem as a teacher stems from parents thinking school is a there to be a free babysitter for their children. I like the idea of providing some sort of enrichment for children during the summer - but suggesting parents or volunteers should do it is kind of funny especially from someone who can't be bothered to deal with his own children.

 

[Carnby]

What does income have to do with it? Last I checked, the public library is free. Did that change?

 

[Orbis Tabula]

Thanks to climate change, it's getting so hot in the Summer that we can fit three months of hot weather into just two months! So we can at least increase the school year by one month without the kids even noticing.