Summer versus School

The Possibilities of the Year-Round School

By (author) James Pedersen

Not available to order

Publication date:

22 January 2015

Length of book:

146 pages

Publisher

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers

ISBN-13: 9781475812565

As American educational reformers continue to find innovative ways to address the global achievement gap, many experts seem to agree that increasing instructional time is a viable option. In addition to extending the school day, some educational leaders have looked to modifying the traditional academic calendar to address some of the academic losses that occur when students have 8-10 weeks of summer vacation each year. Re-examining how students spend their summer vacation, although considered by many to be a cultural taboo, may be the answer to addressing global competition and decreasing the national achievement gap. The need for a two month break from schools harkens back to a pre-industrial time that no longer is pertinent for our students. Although an answer may be staring us in the face, are we willing to give up on the American tradition of summer vacation all in the name of reform and student success?
In Summer Versus School, James Pedersen explores the history of summer vacation and analyzes the various 12-month school calendar models that could prevent summer fade. This book is very well written and should spur interesting conversations about the best ways to increase student achievement.