Michigan Lawmakers Discuss Year-Round School

Everybody knows that the best part of being in school is the 3 months off in summer, but lawmakers in the state capital are discussing and considering the idea of a 12 month school calender.

The first day of summer break was magical, considering that you knew that you didn't have to return to classes, homework and crappy school lunches for an entire three months.  That magic of summer break may be a thing of the past, if lawmakers in the state of Michigan get their way.

The idea has been considered for a long time, but may finally go into action under a proposed bill drafted by Gov. Rick Snyder.  Schools would be financially encouraged to adopt a 12 month, 180 day school year, with no breaks longer than two weeks.  The bill would also provide additional opportunities in online learning and also remove district ownership of students, allowing them to receive their education in any public school that accepted them.

There are both supporters and opponents of the plan.  Some claim year round schooling would be a positive, with students retaining more information and providing a better quality education.  Others state that year round schooling leads to higher absentee rates and places too much pressure on younger students.

Gov. Snyder claims the reforms are in an effort to create more "career-ready students" and provide higher academic success for students across the board.  The opposition has claimed the changes would create a voucher system and turn schools into a business more concerned with profit and less worried about the education of students.

Source: Detroit Free Press