<p>“Five states were to announce on Monday that they will add at least 300 hours of learning time to the calendar in some schools starting in 2013. Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Tennessee will take part in the initiative, which is intended to boost student achievement and make U.S. schools more competitive on a global level.” …</p>
<p>Prelude to year-round classes?</p>
<p>[5</a> states to increase class time in some schools | FLORIDA TODAY | floridatoday.com](<a href=“http://www.floridatoday.com/usatoday/article/1740703?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|p]5”>http://www.floridatoday.com/usatoday/article/1740703?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Home|p)</p>
<p>Year-round schools have been around for years in some places, and they don’t have any more hours than traditional calendar schools. The ones with which I am familiar consist of four tracks, with three tracks in at a time and the fourth out – more or less a nine weeks in, three weeks out schedule, with a couple of weeks off for the whole school around Christmas and again in mid-summer. A year-round school allows for a larger student capacity. I know a number of parents of year-round students and they love the schedule. They get a school vacation in each season of the year and can often travel during off-peak times. Also, their children don’t burn out as easily and retain information better from year to year.</p>
<p>Adding more hours may lead to another type of year-round school, and it’s one that I would never want my children to attend. They already go to school around seven hours a day. Adding homework to that time, they work far more than a 40-hour week.</p>