Flaws in our school calendar

Published 12:00 am Thursday, January 6, 2005

“Uniform School Calendar” bill that dictates the starting dates for Alabama’s public schools died in the State Legislature during early 2004.

It is speculated that the bill will be reintroduced during early 2005.

Educators continuously search for ideas/methods to improve the quality of student learning.

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The school calendar does need to be modified; but, the change should take place at the local level by the board of education.

The long summer break can be shortened.

In the early years of formal schooling in America, school calendars were designed to fit the needs of each particular community.

Some communities had long summer breaks that released children from school in the spring to help with planting and in the fall to help with the harvest, while urban schools sometimes operated on 11 – or 12 – month schedules.

By 1900, migration from the farm to the city and an increase in family mobility created a need to standardize the time children spent in school.

The present 9-month calendar emerged when 85 percent of Americans were involved in agriculture and when climate control in school buildings was limited.

Today, about 3 percent

of Americans’ livelihoods are tied to the agricultural cycle, and air-conditioning makes it possible for schools to provide comfortable learning environments year-round.

Nevertheless, the 9-month school year remains the standard.

Schoolchildren’s time in school can be redistributed; but, not eliminating a summer vacation.

Children learn best when instruction is continuous.

The long summer vacation breaks the rhythm of instruction, leads to forgetting, and requires a significant amount of review of material when students return to school in August or September.

Also, the long summer break can have a greater negative effect on the learning of children with special educational needs.

Our economy is no longer agriculturally driven.

Therefore, each public school system is urged to develop a school calendar that acknowledges differences in student learning, and major changes taking place in each community, as well as in American society.

The tourism industry has crossed its boundaries in attempting to force a starting date on Alabama’s public schools.

State lawmakers should let “home-rule” live, and take a hands-off approach to a Uniform School Calendar law.

Gerald Shirley is the principal of Selma’s

School of Discovery.