As educational institutions gear up for the upcoming back-to-school season, some schools across the United States have been operating all year round. As a matter of fact, the National Center for Education Statistics has revealed that almost four percent of schools (or about 3,700 K-12 public schools) across America are in class session on a year-round calendar.
It is a given fact that people are more knowledgeable with the so-called traditional school calendars where students have an opportunity to enjoy summer breaks. But with the year-round calendar system aka the balanced calendar method, educational institutions restructure the 180 school days by reducing the number of days allotted for summer break. According to CNBC News, those days are divided into several shorter breaks throughout the year and are known as intercessions, which can also be utilized by schools to be a time for students' remediation and enrichment programs.
So, is year-round education better than traditional calendar education? As explained by National Association for Year-Round Education executive director David Hornak, the year-round education system can help enhance the educational achievements of students as it prevents summer learning loss, which is usually experienced by children when they took a break for an extended period.
West Virginia's American Federation of Teachers president Christine Campbell, on the other hand, said that extended summer vacations are not only the contributing factor in learning loss or gaps. Campbell also stressed that altering the education calendar of schools may not be the perfect solution to bridge learning gaps as educational expenditures for year-round classes is also a major factor to ponder.
Speaking of improving students' achievement and college success, U.S. Department of Education's official blog Homeroom has recently outlined how America can increase students' college access and success. USED Deputy Under Secretary Kim Hunter wrote that education must occur in diverse environments such as in Sing Sing prison.
Despite being in a highly secured penal institution, Hunter said that some incarcerated students are passionate about the value of education. Hence, the government is looking for strategic partners that can extend support for prison education projects.
Prison education, however, also faced its fair share of criticisms but correction officials that good education programs encourage incarcerated individuals to do positive acts. Good education has a positive and strong impact when it comes to security.
So, as the government works to expand the access and opportunity for college completion and success, the USED urges more higher education institutions to support the Take the Fair Chance Pledge campaign. This education drive aims to support reforms and eradicate college education barriers.
Meanwhile, the education sector in the United States has been plagued with the incessant increase of higher education cost. As a matter of fact, Daily Progress revealed that state funding fell while tuition fees continued to rise.
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