Education Quality In The U.S. Essay, Research Paper

Throughout time, education has been considered a process that, every so often, must be improved. The education quality in the U.S. has declined over the years and people have been looking for a way to make improvements. A more recent proposal has been to go from a traditional nine- month schedule to an all year program. Supporters of year round schooling claim it better educates the student. However, the prospect of year round schooling proves disadvantageous, and nine month schooling is more effective.

One disadvantage to all-year schooling is its high cost. More funds are necessary to cover the costs of paying the teachers and staff for one full year instead of for 180 days work. Teachers currently make an average of $37, 000 in the United States. But, the costs would increase to $53, 000 to keep the teachers for a full year. Currently, a district uses a lot of its budget on paying teachers. Once the increased costs are put in place, the budget depletes rapidly. Additional funds for utilities should be considered because air conditioning systems will most likely be needed during the three additional months. During those three months, more supplies will be consumed. Costs per school for items such as copy machines and scissors increase due to constant use. Students will be deprived of simple items such as worksheets and class handouts. Transportation and equipment costs would go up for constant maintenance. Buses that travel every school day use the district?s money for gasoline and repairs; these large sums are needed to cover maintenance. These costs can be very hard for a district to swallow. Taxes have to shoot up to solve the dilemma. Overall, the costs add up and equal a loss for the students? environment.

Students will also suffer educational losses because they will have less time for extracurricular activities to make them more well rounded. Many students use their summer vacations to travel and spend time with their parents. However, with school in session during the summer it would be much harder for a family to spend time together and for students to be enriched with new experiences. Research shows that students are also less likely to succeed if they are not given a large break during the summer. Teachers will be unable adjust their curriculums for their incoming classes without an extensive break, shortchanging his or her students. An unprepared teacher can only mean much more time wasted. Faculty and students find that summer breaks can be an important time for growing. Without this break, both teachers and students alike would lack the proper time necessary for maturing. It is important that students continue to mature throughout high school. Year- round schooling does not guarantee that this will occur. Time spent with friends would also decrease as many students run on different schedules. Friendship is very important in the all around development of a child; and year round school would separate students into two or three different schedules, away from friends. Students are not given any preference as to which one they must follow and it is simply a factor of luck.

The biggest problem with all-year schooling is the adaptation to a schedule by the students and teachers involved with the change. For students already in junior high or high school, year round school would be a very difficult transition to make. After years of following one method, they would be told to suddenly switch tracks completely. Students would then lose a chance for improved education. Similarly, teachers will not have the time needed to take additional classes to improve their teaching strategies. How can a district expect education to improve if teachers can’t improve their own personal education? Students moving out of the district will be in conflict with a district that had a nine- month schedule. Also, special events, such as graduation, or the beginning of the school year, would all be lost in the short confusion, taking place from year to year. This means that after years of hard work in school, graduating seniors will be taken out of the limelight.

A revision does indeed need to occur in the U.S. education system. The facts all do point to other countries flying by the U.S. However, year round school is not what students need. It has too many downfalls and not enough benefits. Costs and scheduling are too huge of problems to be ignored. The nine-month schedule must remain the basis for education in America. The changes that need to occur do not involve the schedule. They concern the actual education taught in classes. A change to the traditional calendar only sinks education lower off the charts.