are truly ‘student needs-driven,’ said Verjeana M. Jacobs, BOE chair, District 5“I am biased because I actually attended school year-round in the Philippines where my dad was stationed and we had two week breaks, but it wasn’t long enough to forget what we’d learned,” she said. “We believe education is the key for young people and I see really great value in [students attending school year-round].
But do students who attend school year-round do better than students in nine month programs? Ohio State sociologist Paul Von Hippel authored a study and his research showed that students in year-round schools test scores approved at the same rate as students who attended school for nine months. An August 2007 Science Daily report published Von Hippel’s findings in which he also suggested in the article that year-round schools don’t solve the problem of summer learning setback.
Conversely, researchers at Johns Hopkins University found there are lasting consequences of the summer learning gap. Their researchers showed that students in year-round schools learn more over the summer than do their counterparts.
Legislators in Maryland could make a decision on the issue as early as 2012. Still money to support a change from a regular schedule to a year-round schedule is a concern.
County Executive Rushern Baker agrees.
“The county executive has been watching other school systems that have instituted year-round schooling for years. He believes that there are students in our county who will benefit greatly, but also recognizes that there are big obstacles, primarily financial, in implementing year-round schools,” said County Executive Rushern Baker’s spokesperson Scott Peterson. “Our goal is to provide opportunities for students that will enhance their education as well as the quality of life in Prince George’s County. The Baker Administration is open to all good ideas and options that will improve the lives of our children and families in Prince George’s County.”
The year-round schedule is already being used by several schools in Virginia including Falls Church High School, Dogwood Elementary School in Reston, Franconia Elementary and Glasgow Middle School in Alexandria among others.
For more more information on developments in year round schooling visit www.washingtoninformer.com. wi