This question needs to be posed with the essential companion question; Are you willing to have your school taxes increase by 10% in order to add another month to the school year?
Jim, we pay teachers a very nice salary with lots of benefits. Why should it cost more to have kids in school for a longer time? I realize that teachers still work during their 11 weeks off in the summer but I don't think it takes them that long to prepare for the following year. I don't think it's unfair to ask teachers to work all year long like the rest of us have to. Students would benefit more by staying in the "learning mode."
There's really no need for an 11 week break during the summer. How about a 2 week break so that the family can take a trip together, if families still do that sort of thing? Kids have a lot of time off during the school year and their school days aren't very long (Maybe 6 hours?). They get entire weeks off for holidays and spring recess, plus every weekend. That's a lot more than I get!
Salaries and benefits represent slightly over 60% of a school budget. Benefits amount to half of that figure and cover a full calendar year- not 10 months. Employees such as custodians, clerical, maintenance, cleaners and administrators generally work 12 months. Administrators represent about 7% in terms of staffing; their salaries represent about 11% of the budget. Assuming then that teachers' pay (not including benefits) represents 30% minus 11% or 19% of the budget; an additional month of classes would require a 1.5% increase in expense.
Teacher unions contract for a salary based on a set number of school days. You increase the number of days, then you can expect the union to ask for more money. That should not come as a surprise.
I don't believe the year needs to be lengthened. The schools just need to use the time students are in school, more efficiently. The month of June is pretty much a waste of time as things stand. Field trips, field days, 1/2 days the whole last week are all fun, but very little learning going on.
Why not look at a longer school day and restructuring the school year? Instead of such a long summer break, how about a quarter system with modest breaks in between?
If your child rides the bus to and from school, I'm sure their day is plenty long enough. I, along with every other child in the universe, looked forward to summer vacations. Childhood is so short, let them enjoy it!
Because we live in an area where the summers can be brutally hot, and most schools and school buses aren't equipped with AC. Speaking for the Leroy elementary school, it can get dangerously hot in those old buildings.
Plus, kids should have some enjoyment in childhood. As you know, it sucks when you grow up.
Kids need time to be kids. What I would propose is the removal of so many days off DURING the school year. I went to school in western PA (not too long ago...missed a reunion recently though) and we started school later than kids do here and got done a couple weeks earlier. We didn't have so many inservice days or superintendent's days. We also didn't get a full week of spring break after a week for Easter.
The elimination of some of these breaks would keep the kids in "school mode" for longer periods of time and let them decompress for longer in the summertime.
Doug,
I am not championing the cause for increasing teacher pay, just stating the obvious. It always amuses me when we talk about increasing the school year without looking at the costs involved. It's just not as simple as saying "hey let's add some more school" even if teachers worked for free, they still need to be transported and fed. Water bill, electric bill etc...etc.....
School does last an additional month. It is called, "Summer School." It is for those who need the additional assistance. It would not matter if school was all year. Most kids are preoccupied by outside sources such as; video games, internet with their social and gaming networks and other school activities. Most families today have both parents working which, makes it almost impossible for them to keep tabs on their children's studies. How about establishing an eight hour school day? First, it would prepare them for the average work day. Secondly, it could be used to establish smaller class sizes to help teachers give some one on one time when necessary. Last but, not least shorten their day on the video games and internet social and gaming networks.
This question needs to be
This question needs to be posed with the essential companion question; Are you willing to have your school taxes increase by 10% in order to add another month to the school year?
Jim, we pay teachers a very
Jim, we pay teachers a very nice salary with lots of benefits. Why should it cost more to have kids in school for a longer time? I realize that teachers still work during their 11 weeks off in the summer but I don't think it takes them that long to prepare for the following year. I don't think it's unfair to ask teachers to work all year long like the rest of us have to. Students would benefit more by staying in the "learning mode."
There's really no need for an 11 week break during the summer. How about a 2 week break so that the family can take a trip together, if families still do that sort of thing? Kids have a lot of time off during the school year and their school days aren't very long (Maybe 6 hours?). They get entire weeks off for holidays and spring recess, plus every weekend. That's a lot more than I get!
Salaries and benefits
Salaries and benefits represent slightly over 60% of a school budget. Benefits amount to half of that figure and cover a full calendar year- not 10 months. Employees such as custodians, clerical, maintenance, cleaners and administrators generally work 12 months. Administrators represent about 7% in terms of staffing; their salaries represent about 11% of the budget. Assuming then that teachers' pay (not including benefits) represents 30% minus 11% or 19% of the budget; an additional month of classes would require a 1.5% increase in expense.
Teacher unions contract for a
Teacher unions contract for a salary based on a set number of school days. You increase the number of days, then you can expect the union to ask for more money. That should not come as a surprise.
I don't believe the year
I don't believe the year needs to be lengthened. The schools just need to use the time students are in school, more efficiently. The month of June is pretty much a waste of time as things stand. Field trips, field days, 1/2 days the whole last week are all fun, but very little learning going on.
Bud, why do kids need 11
Bud, why do kids need 11 weeks off from school on top of all the other time they have off?
Why not look at a longer
Why not look at a longer school day and restructuring the school year? Instead of such a long summer break, how about a quarter system with modest breaks in between?
If your child rides the bus
If your child rides the bus to and from school, I'm sure their day is plenty long enough. I, along with every other child in the universe, looked forward to summer vacations. Childhood is so short, let them enjoy it!
If we didn't have the public
If we didn't have the public school system, then this discussion would be moot, as parents could then decide what schooling their children need.
Because we live in an area
Because we live in an area where the summers can be brutally hot, and most schools and school buses aren't equipped with AC. Speaking for the Leroy elementary school, it can get dangerously hot in those old buildings.
Plus, kids should have some enjoyment in childhood. As you know, it sucks when you grow up.
http://mises.org/daily/2937
http://mises.org/daily/2937
Kids need time to be kids.
Kids need time to be kids. What I would propose is the removal of so many days off DURING the school year. I went to school in western PA (not too long ago...missed a reunion recently though) and we started school later than kids do here and got done a couple weeks earlier. We didn't have so many inservice days or superintendent's days. We also didn't get a full week of spring break after a week for Easter.
The elimination of some of these breaks would keep the kids in "school mode" for longer periods of time and let them decompress for longer in the summertime.
Doug, I am not championing
Doug,
I am not championing the cause for increasing teacher pay, just stating the obvious. It always amuses me when we talk about increasing the school year without looking at the costs involved. It's just not as simple as saying "hey let's add some more school" even if teachers worked for free, they still need to be transported and fed. Water bill, electric bill etc...etc.....
School does last an
School does last an additional month. It is called, "Summer School." It is for those who need the additional assistance. It would not matter if school was all year. Most kids are preoccupied by outside sources such as; video games, internet with their social and gaming networks and other school activities. Most families today have both parents working which, makes it almost impossible for them to keep tabs on their children's studies. How about establishing an eight hour school day? First, it would prepare them for the average work day. Secondly, it could be used to establish smaller class sizes to help teachers give some one on one time when necessary. Last but, not least shorten their day on the video games and internet social and gaming networks.