American education is taking it on the chin these days as its critics argue that any serious discussion on school reform must include extending the traditional nine-month school year.

When schools close their doors each summer, our youngsters are locked out or denied the right to educational opportunities, especially those students who are economically disadvantaged.

For the more fortunate, it’s a time to take family vacations and private music lessons, or to attend summer camps.

For others, those who are without enriching summertime opportunities, the three-month break can lead to serious academic consequences – and the disparity can be even more dramatic as these youngsters fall further behind academically or, worse yet, consider dropping out of school.

One of the staunchest advocates for increasing instructional time is new U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, who favors extending classroom time for students so that they might be more competitive with their counterparts in Western Europe, China, India and Japan, who attend public schools 200-220 days, or roughly 30 days a year more than American students.

However, it may not be a question of extending the academic year as much as it is about the actual time spent engaged in learning, or what is often referred to as “time on task.”

It should be no surprise that noninstructional activities such as homeroom period, testing, fire drills, assemblies, early dismissals, absenteeism – I think that you get the picture – reduce actual learning time by perhaps 60 days.

As an example, let’s do a math exercise: When one combines homeroom period and activities period/study hall, it is conceivable that this allotment of 40 minutes per day, times 180 days, divided by 60 minutes, divided by a normal school day of 7.5 hours, computes to roughly 16 days of noninstructional time.

I am in no way implying that we should throw out anything that may be viewed as competing for precious instructional time. However, I do believe that it is worth thinking about how many days we actually have for instruction and how loosely we throw around the idea of 180 days of instruction per year.

It’s worth thinking about how many days we actually have for improving student achievement. In other words, having a conversation about and seeing if we should think about making substantive changes that do make a difference.

If America is serious about improving education, then one option that deserves consideration by local school officials and state and federal legislators should be funding expanded summer-learning programs.

Parents should insist that, despite current financial conditions, summer programs must be preserved or expanded because they are widely viewed as invaluable to both struggling and superior students.

Also, schools, nonprofits, recreation departments, libraries and other community groups should work collaboratively to design more comprehensive and cost-effective programs.

It seems unconscionable that school districts receiving new federal resources through the Recovery and Reinvestment Act would not dedicate funding for high-quality, summer-learning programs designed to help children in low-income and disadvantaged homes to avoid the so-called “summer slide,” which often undermines their academic progress.

“Summer is a time when affluent kids advance and low-income kids suffer huge setbacks,” said Ron Fairchild, executive director of John Hopkins University's Center for Summer Learning.

“If kids aren’t engaged in ongoing learning activities, they lose ground academically.”

Furthermore, Fairchild points out that summer-learning programs are a source of free or low-cost meals for many disadvantaged children – meaning that cutbacks can have consequences for nutrition as well as learning.

Cutting these kinds of programs is incredibly shortsighted and will cost us more in the long run than we could ever save short-term.

“Even in tough economic times, there are many free or low-cost things parents can do to keep their kids healthy, safe and learning this summer,” says Fairchild.

 Locate a summer program that fits your budget. Programs offered by schools, recreation centers, universities and community-based organizations often have an educational or enrichment focus.  

The library is a great, free resource. Check out books that interest your child. Participate in free library summer programs and make time to read every day. 

Take free or low-cost educational trips to parks, museums, zoos and nature centers.

If you are taking a day trip by car, choose a place with an educational theme.

Camping is also a low-cost way to get outside and learn about nature.

Practice math daily: Measure items around the house or yard. Track daily temperatures. Add and subtract at the grocery store. Learn fractions while cooking.

Play outside. Limit TV and video games. Intense physical activity and exercise contribute to healthy development.

Do a community-service project. Teach your child how to volunteer in your community and to show compassion for others.   

Keep a schedule. Continue daily routines during the summer with structure and limits.

The key is providing a balance and keeping kids engaged.

Prepare for fall. Find out what your child will be learning during the next school year by talking with teachers at that grade level.

Preview concepts and materials over the summer.      

Every child should have positive choices and opportunities for learning during the summer months.

Parents and schools and other community organizations need to work together to ensure that more kids have memorable, enriching summers.



David A. Knepper is president of Allegheny Development Group LLC and is currently the executive director of the Forest Hills Regional Alliance. He holds a doctorate in educational administration from Penn State. His column appears the first Sunday of each month.