Year-Round School for Students
* Re “Tradition Ends as School Begins,” July 6.
Here’s a novel idea. How about a truly year-round schedule, not one for the facilities but one for the students?
How about the Los Angeles Unified School District scheduling classes that begin at 9 a.m. and end at 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and which begin in mid-August? They would continue, with a break for a week between Christmas and New Year’s and the week before (or after) Easter until mid-July.
That would have students in class for 11 months, a truly year-round schedule.
Of course, this would necessitate a new contract with the teachers, as well as more teachers.
But think of the benefits to the community. Less free time for students to get into trouble, more time to cover material more thoroughly, greater achievement by students, higher standardized test scores.
This schedule, by the way, is similar to that of Japan, except there students also go to school on Saturday.
ROBERT B. HARRIS
Lancaster
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
