While there is a lively debate about how to fix the fact we are falling behind countries, such as China, in education, I don’t believe we should rework the school year schedule. I believe that we can work within the current schedule, and as long as we have teachers who are dedicated to motivating students, we will not be far behind.

Most people who want education reform are not in school. Fair enough, most people who can make these decisions are older, but I feel like these people really do not remember the stress that summer takes away, and how small breaks helps in the long run.

Students need a break. Not just for three weeks, but for long periods of time. For example, when students go on on spring break they still think about school because it is still looming in the near future. When they’re on summer break, stress is not an issue, which is good for the mental health of the American youth.

A common misconception is that the year-round school system will eliminate the time period that is required to review at the start of the school year. It is widely believed that students can just jump back into school after a three week break.

The truth is that it does take two weeks to review after summer break. That’s a fact, but it would take at least one week to review after these three week breaks. Assuming there are three or four of these breaks a year, that is at least one more week of pure review per average school year.

I think that since the results of the PISA test, a worldwide standardized test, came out, in which Chinese students scored off the charts and the U.S. ended up ranked in the 20s, everyone wants to make rash decisions because they think that test scores make us less superior. However, I don’t think this means we need full reform of a system hundreds of years in the making.