Benefits Of Increasing Number Of School Days.
Oklahoma currently operates on a 165-day school year, which is below the national average of 180 school days. Kansas mandates the highest number of in-person classroom days at 186. A student in Oklahoma can have a 100% attendance record but be considered “chronically absent” by many states’ attendance standards.
Purpose
This OKEII Impact Brief explains the benefits of increasing the numbers of school days in the academic year in Oklahoma schools to enhance learning outcomes and engagement.
Context
Rational for Increasing Number of School Days in Academic Year
More time in school translates to more time for teachers to teach, which can potentially allow for a more comprehensive curriculum and deeper learning.[i] Specifically, increasing the number of school days in an academic year can…
Improve Student Academic Performance
Time in school matters. Studies that consider factors such as positive classroom environment, quality of instruction, and student ability indicate a correlation between the number of days students spend in school and their academic achievement.[ii]
Reduce "Summer Slide"
The summer months can lead to a decline in students' academic skills, particularly for low-income students. A longer school year could mitigate this effect by providing more consistent learning opportunities.
Include More Time for Enrichment and Support
Extra time could be used for individualized instruction, tutoring, and extracurricular activities, benefiting students who need extra support or have diverse interests.
Examples of districts
Improve Teacher-Student Engagement
The teacher is the most important factor in student’s learning. A longer school year could allow for more time for teachers to build stronger relationships with their students, fostering a more supportive and engaging learning environment.
Proposed Solutions
Legislative Action: mandate of a minimum of 180 instructional school days annually. Funding and Resources: increased funding to support extending number of days.
REFERENCES
[i] Which States Require the Most—and Least—Instructional Time? Find Out. By Caitlynn Peetz & Francis Sheehan — December 09, 2024 Education Week
[ii] List of studies here.
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DeSilver, Pew Research Center, U.S. Students’ Academic Achievement Still Lags That of Their Peers in Many Other Countries, on the internet at www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/02/15/u-s-students-internationally-math-science.
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Rivkin, et. al., Instruction Time, Classroom Quality, and Academic Achievement, The National Bureau of Economic Research, on the internet at www.nber.org/papers/w19464?utm_campaign=ntw&utm_medium=email&utm_source=ntw.
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Walker, Global Study: U.S. Educators Spend More Hours Teaching but Wide Pay Gap Remains, neaToday, on the internet at http://neatoday.org/2015/12/04/global-study-u-s-educators-spend-hours-teaching-wide-pay-gap-remains.