Investigates the effect of year-round education on teacher motivation at a Title I elementary school in Fairfax County, Virginia. Finds that 12 teachers in study report less burnout and increased motivation. Consequently they are more likely to remain in the teaching profession for the next several years or longer. (Contains 16 references.) (PKP)

This paper describes the implementation and administration of a year-round school program in Buena Vista, Virginia, high schools. The program began in the 1973-74 school year as a practical way to meet the educational needs of children in a changing society. After examining three extended-school-year plans, the school board chose a quarter system…

Describes reasons for teacher job satisfaction at a year-round elementary school (Timber Lane) in Fairfax County, Virginia, such as flexible work schedules, reduced stress, and time for professional planning. (PKP)

This article presents an interview with Dr. Gerald W. Bracey, author of "Reading Educational Research: How to Avoid Getting Statistically Snookered." During the interview, Bracey explains why he considers the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) as a "weapon of mass destruction" and that he sees nothing to suggest that NCLB has…

The traditional September-through-June school calendar does not provide enough time to meet students' educational needs. Year-round education helps schools meet the needs of all students and rightfully keeps students from working in industrial jobs until graduation. A longer school year would make better use of school facilities, increase teacher…

A study of six paired schools in Prince William County, Virginia, involving schools at the elementary, middle, and high school levels operating on traditional and on year-round plans, revealed that given established attendance boundaries the schools were not operating at sufficient capacity to reduce costs through year-round operation. This report…

Two different approaches to cost analysis (cross-sectional analysis and mock-school analysis) both indicate savings under the 45-15 year round school plan used in Loudoun County, Virginia. These methods of cost analysis were used to compare traditional school schedules with 45-15. One middle school and three elementary schools in Loudoun County…

Describes a principal's frustrating, but ultimately successful 3-year effort to convert a Virginia elementary school to a year-round schedule. Now in its third year, the school boasts students with higher standardized test scores, better attendance, and fewer discipline referrals than their traditional-calendar counterparts. (MLH)

One objective of this study was to discover whether education of students on the 45-15 plan differed from that provided on the traditional schedule. Another objective was to assess the attitudes of the educators, parents, students, and business people of Prince William County toward the two plans. The educational evaluation compared, across…

The purpose of a comprehensive study of the design of the school calendar in Virginia was to identify the quality and quantity of allocated time and the amount of time spent and needed for student learning as factors determining the impact of instructional time on educational quality. Synthesizing available research and new surveys and interviews,…

In addition to the external pressures for a change in the school year, there are also pressures within the field of education that year-round schools may alleviate. In the 1960's, Prince William County faced the serious problem of rapid population growth, and today the school population continues to increase. In 1970, after considering alternative…

Noting that the growing popularity of year-round schools (extended calendar without increasing the number of school days) has coincided with an increase in school accountability, this report provides a descriptive case study on one year-round school located within a large elementary school district in central Virginia. An optional year-round…

The current literature on year-round education is replete with feasibility studies; reports on operational programs; and thoughtful consideration of the potential effects of year-round education on the community, school, family, and child. Lay boards of education are frequently asked to make decisions on whether to implement year-round programs on…