By: David G. Hornak, Ed.D., Executive Director of the National Association for Year-Round Education (NAYRE)

One of the few constants in education over the past 140 years has been the 180-day school calendar.  Despite the learning gaps the long summer intermission creates, unfinished learning due to the pandemic, educator burnout, and the substitute shortage, educators across the nation continue to work diligently each year to make a difference.  While not a new idea, due to the pandemic, school districts across the nation are taking a longer look at year-round education.  The term year-round education is falling out of favor because students and staff do not attend school 300+ days each year, but rather school districts balance their allocated school days across the calendar year.  A more accurate description is a balanced school calendar.  Balanced calendar education has ties to the late 1800s and it provides more frequent access to the students which allows school districts to provide food, care, and educational materials more consistently than the traditional school calendar does with a long summer recess.

Continuous Education: A foundation of the balanced calendar is continuous access to food, instruction, care, and education resources, which research shows is especially important in preventing summer learning loss for students who may not have the benefits of travel, camps, and trips to the library. Educators are able to provide continuous access through what is known as intersessions —the days when students are on break. With the additional days, some students might actually go to school for more than 200 days each school year.  Intersession provides real-time remediation and enrichment opportunities, which in the traditional model tend to occur during the summer. 

Positive Outcomes: The balanced school calendar parents and guardians have shared that this alternative calendar is more aligned with current lifestyles and work schedules.  In fact, budgeting for 12-13 weeks of childcare each summer can be a burden.  The balanced calendar reduces the number of consecutive days off each summer in exchange for additional school breaks throughout the school year.    Jennifer Robel, a balanced calendar parent, says, “Overall, parents continue to see tremendous academic and social growth in children who attend school on the balanced calendar. They see their children retaining what they have learned the previous school year. Students and educators remain revitalized and refreshed on this continuous instructional cycle.”

Final Thoughts: The traditional school calendar requires teachers to reteach between 20-40 school days each year. The amount of required time to reteach contributes to the learning gaps that educators are trying so hard to close. Collectively across the nation, school districts are spending 21 billion dollars remediating the learning gaps that the traditional calendar contributes to each year.  By moving to the balanced school calendar, we may be able to repurpose the funds that are being devoted to closing learning gaps and earmark them instead for programs that focus on differentiating instruction or extending learning opportunities. Click here to download Dr. Hornak's featured article.

In Washington state, a traditional school year lasts 180 days. Students have a few short breaks along the way and a long break in the summer. Many students experience a loss of learning and continuity during the extended break. Students who have consistent access to enriching activities throughout the year are more successful in school (Pedersen, 2016). How can we increase access to these enriching activities for more students?

One potential solution is a “balanced calendar.”

What is balanced calendar?

Instead of concentrating 180 school days into nine months, a balanced calendar spreads them throughout the year. Schools may use the breaks to host “intersessions,” where they can provide additional learning experiences if needed.

Does it work?

Schools that follow a balanced calendar tend to have higher achievement scores (Pedersen, 2016). A traditional summer break lasts 10 to 12 weeks, compared to 5 to 7 weeks in a balanced calendar. Shorter breaks mean more consistent student-teacher partnerships and less learning disruption. Students need less review time at the beginning of the new school year so there is an embedded opportunity for expansion of curriculum and learning experiences.

Does it mean more school?

Balanced calendars usually keep the same number of school days as traditional calendars, but they add flexibility. With input and feedback from families, education leaders decide what is best for their local community. Teachers who work in a balanced calendar have reported that it is easier to plan instruction in shorter chunks between breaks rather than for a full semester (Pedersen, 2016). In addition, ending the first semester, trimester, or second quarter before winter break creates more energy and readiness for students and teachers when they return (Hasser & Nasser, 2005).

February: Black History Month 

National Black History Month serves as both a celebration and a powerful reminder that Black history is American history, Black culture is American culture, and Black stories are essential to the ongoing story of America — our faults, our struggles, our progress, and our aspirations. It is essential that we take time to celebrate the immeasurable contributions of Black people, honor the legacies and achievements of generations past, reckon with centuries of injustice, and confront those injustices that still fester today. Find out how culturally responsive and diverse is your classroom library here.