Tallahassee, FL – The new year-round school pilot program will effectively change the way children in the state celebrate their summer pastimes. If implemented, it could change the 2024/2025 school schedule.
Initially, HB 891 was introduced by Rep. Patricia Williams, D-Broward County, who represents District 98 in Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach and Lauderdale Lakes.
“Number one, this bill could help every child that participates. Number two, we have lost years due to COVID for education. Number three, crime increases during the time our children are out of school in the juvenile-kids age range,” Williams said to the House panel. “During the summertime, a lot of children lose what they have learned during the year. This is additional time that they will have educating themselves and actually staying out of trouble.”
Currently, only about 4% of students across the United States are learning on a year-round schedule. The state requires students to spend 180 days inside the classroom. The year-round model would spread breaks throughout the year, effectively changing summer vacation. If Broward County participates, schools could implement the typical 45/15 model, or 45 days in school followed by 15 days of break.
Rosalind Osgood, D-Broward County, is on the Senate Pre-K-12 Education Committee. During a recent meeting, she said, “For many families living in poverty, this provides a safe opportunity for children during the summer, and it also helps with the learning loss that takes place during summer months for both high-performing and low-performing students.”
School districts can apply to the Florida Department of Education to participate in the pilot program, which is established for a period of four years to help the board study the benefits and make decisions regarding instituting the program throughout state public elementary schools. The state education commissioner would select five school districts to participate in and “to the extent possible those districts would represent a variety of demographics, including an urban, suburban and rural school district.”
“There are districts across the nation that are implementing this idea, and the benefits are paramount,” executive director of the National Association for Year-Round Education, Dr. David Hornak said. He spoke about the benefits to staff, as well as students. “They are more energized; therefore, they are going to engage their students in a deeper level, which turns them into better behaved students, more productive academic time, and the wins continue. Students will still have a six to eight week summer and come back recharged.”
