NE2: Year Round School Act

[Cincinnatus]

I support this piece of legislation enthusiastically.  I remember my long summer vacations filled with care-free activities, shattered by the return of school, and the "brain-drain" that inevitably comes with it.  The blocks we're discussing can be negotiated of course, but the overall goal of this bill, to make a Major 2 month+ vacation, into manageable blocks, is important.  As for data, I don't think an NPR article (Simfan), or a Washington Post article (Scott), actually count...

Barnes, I like your proposal very much.  I think this type of program can excel in our region, and make a real impact.  As Simfan said though, it can work in tandem with the legislation we're now discussing.

Now, I'm going to go completely off tangent here and throw out a couple of issues that can further our goal of increasing our education system;

1)  Focusing on College Accredited courses/programs in High School.  
2)  Truly important to me, putting a focus on Technical/Vocational studies in our regions school system.  A good example would be something resembling BOCES here in New York.
3)  Including a program that is essentially exactly what Barnes has proposed.  
4)  Very important; Engage Parents. Force them to give an email, or phone number.  Create an online portal where parents can check updated student grades, see their children's homework, and read weekly comments on their child's progress.
5)  Consider grouping Elementary age students by ability.  Some students learn faster, some slower.  Acknowledging that students learn and develop at different speeds will allow our schools to better tend to our child's needs.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I think it's worth mentioning that there already is "year-round" schooling for students that need it: summer school.

If possible, perhaps we can compromise and work to improve summer school attendance and quality, rather than mandate year-round schooling across the region.

[Simfan34]

I think it's worth mentioning that there already is "year-round" schooling for students that need it: summer school.

If possible, perhaps we can compromise and work to improve summer school attendance and quality, rather than mandate it across the region.

I doubt the honorable Assemblyman was ever in need of remedial education. Nor was I, I can say, yet I too suffered from a brain drain. You're missing the point.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

I think it's worth mentioning that there already is "year-round" schooling for students that need it: summer school.

If possible, perhaps we can compromise and work to improve summer school attendance and quality, rather than mandate it across the region.

I doubt the honorable Assemblyman was ever in need of remedial education. Nor was I, I can say, yet I too suffered from a brain drain. You're missing the point.

I am not; I am offering a compromise.  If students show signs of brain drain and can't make up for it with the regular schedule, then summer school can and should be an option.  I'd rather work to expand access to those, and help districts establish them if they don't have them.

[Simfan34]

Governor, I attended some of this nation's most prestigious and competitive institutions. I do not want to sound pretentious- but we all suffer from a degree of "brain drain". I'm sure you did as well. Unless you want to have summer school for everyone, which totally negates all your other points, you're not offering a viable solution.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Governor, I attended some of this nation's most prestigious and competitive institutions. I do not want to sound pretentious- but we all suffer from a degree of "brain drain". I'm sure you did as well. Unless you want to have summer school for everyone, which totally negates all your other points, you're not offering a viable solution.

I never said I've never forgotten a little here and there, but I was also to regain a lot of what I lost after I came back to school.  Do I remember everything I learned back in freshman year, personally?  No, but a lot of the material was carried onto the next year so that my understanding on the concepts could advance.  A great deal of what is learned in high school won't be remembered twenty years from then, anyway, unless someone specializes in something they learned about.  Even then, you can't retain knowledge about every single thing you learned in adulthood.  I'm skeptical that year-round schooling will make much of a difference long-term for people as adults.

Of course, I am not suggesting that we mandate summer school for everyone.  I'd rather implement a system tailored to individual needs.

[Simfan34]

Oi! Those are my children you have little sympathy for, Nixy! Adelaide will be sure to hear of this, and you better watch your step when you come to 163 East 64th lest you find a whoopie cushion on your seat courtesy of Alastair!

Well, maybe not. I told them 20 days is quite the long time to explore a continent, which it certainly is...

In all seriousness, thank you Senator for your contribution. I would also like to add 180 days is also the current requirement in New Jersey.

[The world will shine with light in our nightmare]

Except year-round schooling simply doesn't contribute as much as some think.  I'll admit that there are various studies on this, many of which sadly contradict each other, but this reorganization of the calendars appear to merely spread out this "brain drain" throughout the year, absent a summer vacation.  Average test scores went up by less than 1% for kids who attended year-round colleges compared to those who attended nine-month ones, which leads me to hypothesize that the year-round schooling probably doesn't make much of a difference, but rather, the types of students that attend certain schools and the way the curriculum is structured.  That's why it's so difficult to conduct an accurate, comprehensive study on the impact of such a policy.  Meanwhile, we'll still have to pay these schools more for maintenance issues, and these are dollars that could go to efforts to reform the system from the inside-out.

But, what the hey, I'm about ready to give up on this.  You win.

[Simfan34]

Very well. I move to abbreviate debate by 36 hours.

[Poirot]

Think of the children. Believe it or not I attended school and would have hated to have more schooldays, like the 190 in the act.

Having a shorter summer vacation can make it harder for families to have family vacations if a parent can't get work off during the short summer school break.

Also I hope our schools have all air conditioning because I remember in June some classrooms were too warm and not a good environment to learn and concentrate. During summer people wish to be outside more than in a classroom.       

Don't give up Governor!

[Cincinnatus]

Debate time has expired.  The Assembly will now vote on the final text.  This vote will last 24 hours, or until all Representatives have voted.

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[Barnes]

Nay.

[Simfan34]

Aye.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Abstain.

[Cincinnatus]

Aye

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Changing my vote to Nay.

[Goldwater]

ABSTAIN

[Cincinnatus]

Voting has ended.  With 2 Ayes, and 2 Nays, the vote is tied.  The legislation awaits action from Governor, in accordance with the constitution;

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[Cincinnatus]

The Governor has declined to send this legislation to The People.  The bill fails.

Lt. Governor Alfred, please lock the thread