Should You Go to School Year-Round?

    It seems like everyone you know is getting antsy. Summer break is so close! 

    You can’t wait to have a Marvel movie marathon with your friends. Dad promised extra s’mores on the family camping trip. Perhaps you’ll even start a dog-walking business and earn some cash.

    But here’s something to think about: What if you had to go to school year-round? 

    That idea may make you sick to your stomach. But about 3,000 schools across the United States already run on a year-round schedule. Instead of having one long summer break, they have several short breaks throughout the year. 

    What do you think: Would that setup be better—or worse—for you? 

    It seems like everyone is getting antsy. Summer break is so close!

    You’ll have a movie marathon with friends. You’ll take a family camping trip. You might earn some cash by walking dogs.

    But think about this: What if you went to school year-round?

    That might sound crazy. But about 3,000 schools across the United States run on a year-round schedule. Instead of one long summer break, they have several short breaks throughout the year.

    How would you like that?

    It seems like everyone you know is getting antsy. Summer break is so close!

    You can’t wait to have a Marvel movie marathon with your friends. Dad promised extra s’mores on the family camping trip. Perhaps you’ll even start a dog-walking business and earn some cash.

    But here’s something to consider: What if you had to go to school year-round?

    That idea might make you sick to your stomach—but approximately 3,000 schools across the United States already run on a year-round schedule. Instead of having one long summer break, they have several short breaks throughout the year.

    Would that arrangement be better—or worse—for you?

    Hearing “year-round school” might sound like “more class time.” But that’s not exactly true. Most schools in America require 180 days in class. A year-round schedule wouldn’t change that. Vacations would simply be split up more evenly. For example, for every 45 days in school, you might get 15 days off. 

    What’s the point of this type of year-round schedule? Some educators think it could get rid of something called the “summer slide.” That’s when students forget much of what they learned the year before. Many teachers spend more than a month reviewing old lessons at the start of the school year. 

    Some students also say shorter, more frequent breaks would be good for their mental health. “We work hard,” says Hansika Nallavelli. She’s an eighth-grader in Minnesota. “This would give us more to look forward to throughout the year.”

    “Year-round school” might sound like “more class time.” But that’s not true. Most schools in America require 180 days in class. A year-round schedule wouldn’t change that. Breaks would just be split up more evenly. For instance, for every 45 days in school, you might get 15 days off.

    What’s the point of year-round school? Some educators think it could get rid of something called the “summer slide.” That’s when students forget much of what they learned the year before. Many teachers spend more than a month reviewing old lessons at the start of the school year.

    Some students say shorter, more frequent breaks would be good for their mental health too. “We work hard,” says Hansika. She’s an eighth-grader in Minnesota. “This would give us more to look forward to throughout the year.”

    Hearing “year-round school” might sound like “more class time,” but that’s not exactly true. Most schools in America require 180 days in class. A year-round schedule wouldn’t change that. Vacations would simply be split up more evenly. For example, for every 45 days in school, you might get 15 days off.

    What’s the purpose of this type of year-round schedule? Some educators believe it could prevent something called the “summer slide.” That’s when students forget much of what they learned the year before. Many teachers spend more than a month reviewing old lessons at the beginning of the school year.

    In addition, some students say shorter, more frequent breaks would be good for their mental health. “We work hard,” states Hansika Nallavelli, an eighth-grader in Minnesota. “This would give us more to look forward to throughout the year.”

    But not everyone sees year-round school as a good thing. Many parents worry about having kids on different schedules. Imagine if your sister’s school has three months off, but yours doesn’t. That could make planning a family vacation hard.

    Stephany Carmical is a high school educator in Arkansas. Her school considered a year-round schedule but decided against it. “Many of our kids spend their summer looking for part-time jobs,” she says. “You’re less likely to get hired if you can only work for a few weeks.” 

    Plus, many teens simply can’t imagine giving up their summer. After all, there’s something special about having a long break. 

    “We need a couple of months to cool off and chill without the pressure of schoolwork,” says Gracie Lindsay. She’s a sixth-grader in California. “Summer vacation gives us a chance to pursue passions we don’t have time for during the school year.” 

    But not everyone sees year-round school as a good thing. Many parents worry about having kids on different schedules. Let’s say your sister’s school has three months off, but yours doesn’t. That could make planning a family vacation hard.

    Stephany Carmical is an educator in Arkansas. Her school decided against a year-round schedule. “Many of our kids spend their summer looking for part-time jobs,” she says. “You’re less likely to get hired if you can only work for a few weeks.” 

    Plus, many teens can’t imagine giving up their summer. There’s something special about having a long break.

    “We need a couple of months to cool off and chill without the pressure of schoolwork,” says Gracie. She’s a sixth-grader in California. “Summer vacation gives us a chance to pursue passions we don’t have time for during the school year.” 

    But not everyone regards year-round school as a good thing. Many parents worry about the inconvenience of having kids on different schedules. For example, if your sister’s school has three months off but yours doesn’t, planning a family vacation could get complicated.

    Stephany Carmical, a high school educator in Arkansas, says her school considered a year-round schedule but decided against it. “Many of our kids spend their summer looking for part-time jobs,” she explains. “You’re less likely to get hired if you can only work for a few weeks.” 

    Plus, many teenagers simply can’t imagine giving up their summer. After all, there’s something special about having a long break.

    “We need a couple of months to cool off and chill without the pressure of schoolwork,” explains Gracie Lindsay, a sixth-grader in California. “Summer vacation gives us a chance to pursue passions we don’t have time for during the school year.”