House Panel Reviews Year-Round Schooling Proposal

State Representative Andy Schor (D-Lansing) introduced legislation in the House Appropriations School Aid Committee on Tuesday that would create a pilot program for year-round schooling.

Under HB 4982, public schools would operate year-round with the current three month summer vacation broken up into two week blocks. The pilot program would be implemented in at-risk schools.

Mr. Schor said teachers lose 30 to 60 days of instruction when they have to re-teach what students learned the year before.

Governor Snyder called for a similar pilot program using $2 million during his State of the State address last month. HB 4982 calls for $10 million, though Representative Schor said that the Governor’s figure could also work for a pilot program.

Representative Schor said the money would be used to update school buildings so that students can comfortably attend school during the summer, adding that elementary schools would be targeted due to the steep price of updating a high school.

In Lansing, Mr. Schor said the least expensive school to upgrade for summer use would cost $656,686, while the most expensive school is in the $900,000 range.

Stiles Simmons, superintendent of Baldwin Community Schools (where 94 percent of students qualify for subsidized lunch), said for him, the only downside to a balanced year schedule is the cost. He said summer break increases disparities between advantaged and disadvantaged students, with poorer students experiencing more learning loss.

Representative Brandon Dillon (D-Grand Rapids), Minority Vice Chair of the House Appropriations School Aid Subcommittee, said in the future, after testing out year-round schooling, the state could look at extending the total amount of time students are in school.

Representative Bill Rogers (R- Brighton), Chair of the Subcommittee, said he also is supportive of the balanced year schedule.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, February 21, 2014 11:18 AM
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