Why do American schools have summer break?
It is the end of August 2024, and almost every school in the United States is back in session. But why do schools have summer break to begin with? What is the purpose of a summer break? And are there benefits or drawbacks to the long summer breaks for students in the United States?
What is the agrarian myth?
The most common misconception about summer break in the United States is that it originates from 19th-century agrarian practices where children in rural communities would need time away from school to help their parents with harvest. But the busiest time of year for farmers would have been during the spring and fall seasons when crops were planted and later harvested. Instead, schools in the early 19th-century United States established their school calendars on the schedules of the communities they served. Schools in large cities were in session for about 8.5 months of the year with break occurring in the hot summer months. Meanwhile, schools in smaller rural areas were in session for only 6 months with breaks during the spring planting and fall harvest seasons.
When and why did summer break become standard practice across the United States?
By the late 19th Century, the quality of a school was judged by the number of days it was in session throughout the year. This meant that children from larger cities were typically given greater opportunities than those from rural areas. Educators and community leaders thus advocated for a standardized school year with an agreed-upon break. As is the case today, the most widely listened to voices for reform are those from more affluent communities. As a result, summertime was chosen as the designated time for a break from school. Three points were used to support this decision: (1) school houses were not designed to maintain comfortable temperatures during the hot summer months; (2) a tightly packed and poorly ventilated classroom in the midst of summer can quicken the spread of disease; and (3) the summer is when the rich want to go on vacation. Yes, that third point was a real reason behind this decision.
Today, the majority of kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12) schools in the United States are in session for only 180 days of the year. Comparing statistics of primary and secondary school instructional time between the United States and other countries is tricky. Each state has the authority to set their own minimum requirements while many other countries tend to set standards on a national level. But developing annual averages of required instructional time for students in the United States can help visualize where American students sit when compared to 33 other developed nations. In 2014, nations with the highest and lowest average required hours of instruction for primary school students were Chile (1,007 hours) and Russia (470 hours). Primary school students in the United States received an average 943 hours of annual required instructional time. Nations with the highest and lowest average required hours of instruction for lower secondary school students were Mexico (1,167 hours) and Sweden (741 hours). Lower secondary school students in the United States received an average 1,016 hours of annual required instructional time.
Why are summer breaks so long today?
Summer breaks continue to span 8-12 weeks in the United States for several reasons, including the limitations of school facilities, economic factors, and teacher training and retention.
Over half of the primary, middle, and secondary schools in the United States have outdated building systems like air conditioning, heating, ventilation, and plumbing. The summertime is when important building repairs and remodels tend to be scheduled. As was the case in the late 19th Century, school buildings today are not equipped to keep temperatures at safe/comfortable levels during summer heat.
Seasonal industries—like theme parks, tourist attractions, summer camps, and back-to-school sales—have become reliant on the traditional long summer break in the United States. Many businesses that prioritize the summer break tend to rely on the labor of teenage employees. Major blockbuster films tend to be scheduled for release during the summer, when families are more likely to go to the movie theaters. And, to this day, the summer is when those who can afford to take a vacation are more likely to do so.
Teacher training and retention is also an important factor in maintaining long summer breaks. It is during the summer months that many educators can receive more in-depth training and development opportunities to help them better serve their students and further their own careers. And many who choose to pursue primary and secondary education as a career cite the long summer months as a great attractor to the profession. I will save the rant on abysmally low salaries for public school educators in the United States for a future What in the World post.
Do long summer breaks effect student knowledge and physical health?
Studies of the effects of long summer breaks on students sheds light on how 8-12 weeks away from rigorous daily routine effects their knowledge and physical health. When socioeconomic status is a major factor, kindergarteners in lower socioeconomic status schools tend to lose knowledge in reading and spelling during the summer while those from higher socioeconomic status schools gained knowledge. When looking at math and reading skills of middle school/lower secondary education students, students were more likely to lose knowledge in mathematics while improving reading skills during the summer break; education and economic status of parents was noted to have a small impact on results. When considering physical health of middle schoolers, progress made towards better physical health throughout the schoolyear were nearly completely reversed during the long summer break.
Closing Thoughts
Summer break in the United States was standardized in the late 19th century to work within the environmental limitations of school buildings, to reduce the spread of disease, and to let the rich have their vacations. Summer breaks continue to be as long as they are today due to the environmental limitations of school buildings, to lure people into choosing primary and secondary education as a career path, and to spend more money while on vacation. There are some losses of knowledge retention and regression of physical health among primary and lower secondary students, but these may be offset by the socioeconomic status of a student’s family.
Dångkulo' na' saina ma'åse'! Thank you so much for reading this What in the World post!
Notes:
Random Thoughts posts are brief summaries of larger histories.
Underlined text are hyperlinked to referenced sources and PDF files.
Post Date: 30 August 2024
