1. What is a year-round school?

A year-round school is a school that operates on a 12-month schedule instead of the traditional 10-month schedule. Under a conventional school schedule, students attend school for 180 days between September and June, with approximately 10 weeks of vacation during the summer, one week off in the winter, one week off in the spring, and 10-15 days off for holidays. A year-round school schedule (utilizing a 45/15 plan, which is common) requires students to attend school for 180 days with the vacations spread throughout the year. Students attend school for 45 days (9 weeks) and then have a vacation for 15 days (3 weeks). There can also be a one-week winter vacation and one week spring vacation with an additional 9 days off for holidays.

2. Are there different types of year-round school schedules?

Yes. In a single track schedule, all students are on the same schedule. In a multi-track schedule, students attend school on a staggered schedule, some students attending school while others are on vacation. This approach, which increases the utilization of school buildings, can reduce or eliminate the need for additional schools to meet increasing enrollments.

3. Who uses year-round school schedules now?

During the 1992-93 school year, approximately 1.4 million students in 2,000 public (and private) schools in 32 states attended school on year-round schedules. Approximately half of the students are on single-track schedules.

4. What are the benefits of year-round school?

Though the evidence is not conclusive, some studies suggest that year-round schools produce higher student achievement. Some educators in systems that use year-round schools report that students retain more of what they learn, in part, because their studies are not interrupted by one long summer break. This evidence bears further investigation.

Some studies also suggest that at-risk students benefit from the uninterrupted pace of learning. During their scheduled breaks, they also have an increased opportunity to receive additional instruction in areas where they are experiencing difficulty or for enrichment.

Schools operating on year-round schedules also report these other benefits:

• Frequent breaks that enable teachers to relax, travel, study, and pursue other recreational activities which may reduce stress factors.
• Improved teacher and student attendance.
• Reduced vandalism costs.
• Opportunities for students to be employed in the community throughout the year, not just during the summer months.
• Greater enrollment capacity of existing schools, reducing the need to build additional facilities. One Florida school system estimates that it will save $63 million by not building 8 schools. However, at this time, we do not know how large the savings would be for school systems in Maryland.

5. Why should school systems in Maryland consider the year-round school concept?

One reason is the possible educational advantages that some educators attribute to year-round schools. In addition, several school systems in Maryland project significant increases in enrollment during the next 10 years. The adoption of a year-round school multi-track schedule could reduce or eliminate the need for additional state and local funds to construct new schools or additions.

6. Who is investigating the pros and cons of year-round schools?

The Governor sponsored a conference, Exploring Year-Round School Concepts, at Catonsville Community College on November 20, 1993. The conference, coordinated by the Maryland State Department of Education, brought together 300 educators, teachers, parents, students, elected officials, and business representatives, along with several individuals who have had experience utilizing year-round school schedules. The conference was designed to address the major issues, such as educational benefits, the impact on the family, educational facilities, operating budgets, community impact, and public awareness.

7. Who will decide about year-round schools?

Each local board of education will decide on whether or not its school system would benefit from year-round schools. Some counties may find that the idea is suitable for their communities while other counties may decide that year-round schools are not possible at this time. Some school boards have decided to pilot test year-round schools in a limited number of schools. One year-round school in Baltimore City, Robert C. Coleman Elementary, began operation in August 1994.