General Research Regarding
School Calendars
Internationally
known educational researcher Dr. Gene V. Glass reviews academic
research relating to the school calendar configuration. His review
shows the calendar configuration does not impact academic performance.
(Click
here to view research)
Energy
Savings
Late
opening of schools saved money
Tulsa Public Schools saved nearly $500,000 by delaying the start
of school until after Labor Day, the districts latest utility
bills show.
(MORE)
Bells
to Ring Later at City Schools
There are other reasons for why school shouldn't start in mid-August,
but a savings in utility bills of at least $150,000 is as good
as any.
(MORE)
Semester
Exams: Before or After the Winter Break
(The Spacing Effect)
The need to administer semester exams before the end of the winter break is often cited as a reason for the school year to begin in early to mid-August. But, research doesn't support the notion that pushing the end of the semester is academically best for students.
The Impact of Taking Breaks on Learning and Memory, David Golden, Ph.DO., Professor, The University of Texas at Austin, as presented to the Texas Legislature in Spring 2006
(Click
here to read more)
Research Excerpt:
"There may be a variety of reasons for preferring a mid-August start date for public schools over a September start date, but a concern over exam performance following the Christmas break cannot be one of them. In fact there is a substantial evidence from the experimental psychological literature, as well as from what might be called common sense, that a break prior to exams would have an improving effect. In this brief report I will summarize some of the basic research on the relevant issues and also make it clear that people intuitively understand the importance of taking breaks and do so in everyday life…."
Why Taking Exams after Winter Break is best for Students: What the Experts Say, as presented to the Texas Legislature in Spring 2006.
(Click
here to read more)
Research Excerpt:
"Reviews of material with longer time elapsed between the first and second review (spaced) yield more learning than reviews with less time elapsed between the first and second review (massed). Review of material increases long-term memory best when there is more time between introduction and review of material…….."
Student
Employment
A study by
the Employment Policies Institute, May 1994, found that students
who work during the summer are more likely to obtain better jobs
upon graduation.
(Click
here for Report)
Teachers’
Continuing Education
A September 2004 report,
published in the journal Education Policy Analysis Archives found
that students of teachers certified by the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards saw greater test-score gains,
on average, than did those of teachers without certification.
The study was conducted by Arizona State University researchers.
(Click
here for report)
Related
Research
Year-Round
Education: Is it Worth the Hassle? A British Columbia
Teachers' Federation Perspective.
(Click
here to read)
Year-Round Education In A Reform Enviroment: The Imapact On Student Achievement And Cost Effectiveness Analysis....researchers
concluded year round school calendars were not cost effective
nor increased academic performance.
(Click
here to view complete report.)
Summary of
News Articles: Dropped Year-Round School Calendars...(Click
here to view compilation of quotes as cited in news articles nation
wide.)
What
Others Say About The Year-Round School Calendar's Impact On Academics
...(Click
here to view compilation of quotes as cited in news articles nation
wide.)
What Happens to Summer Learning in Year-Round Schools?
By Paul T. von Hippel, Professor, Ohio State University, August 2007:
Description:
Students in "year-round"¯schools don't learn more than their peers in traditional nine-month schools, new research has found. A sociologist found that, over a full year, math and reading test scores improved about the same amount for children in year-round schools as they did for students whose schools followed a traditional nine-month calendar. (Research description courtesy of Newswise.)
(Click
here to read)
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