Lazy summer days spent with friends, at the pool, or sitting around watching television. All of these images come naturally to 96% of United States students when they think of the three month vacation off from school. But for the other 4% of United States students, they are waking up every summer morning to go to school (Wildavsky, 1999, p.53). Year-Round Schools seems to be the answer to the United States educational system dilemma. Year-Round Schools, or the more commonly called YRE (Year Round Education) program, is becoming an increasing reality for students nationwide because it is a solid program with proven results. The YRE system is proven to help ease the problems of overcrowded schools, to help students retain the knowledge they would normally lose during the summer break, and to bring numerous improvements to all school systems that use it.
Overcrowded schools are a major factor that many school districts are or will be facing in the future.
A class size experiment in the United States found...
Young female students at Samangan School in Afghan...
Avery Coonley School students tapping maple trees.The YRE program helps to alleviate this problem with schools offering separate "tracks." Tracks are the name given to the school year that the student chooses (when there is a choice available). Usually Track B is the title given to students that are enlisted in year round schooling, and Track A is the name given to those students who still wish to use the traditional calendar, but attend the same school (Wildavsky, 1999, p. 54). The reason this concept eases the overcrowded schools is because students can get certain classes out of the way during the summer, freeing up other classes for other students during the fall.
In addition to a year-long school calendar helping alleviate overcrowding, it also helps better learning retention in the students. According to Ren Marcus, a substitute principal, (when students come back from their short...