TRANSCRIPT:
For South Carolina Public Radio, I'm Dr. Rénard Harris from the College of Charleston. This is Teachable Moments, a minute of education for students and parents.
For many students nationwide, summer means a break from the classroom. However, students in year-round or balanced calendar schools have a series of shorter breaks throughout the year. These approaches have existed since the 1970s, but their popularity declined until the pandemic led to significant learning loss.
In fact, in 2022 a quarter of South Carolina schools transitioned to a year-round calendar. Proponents say a year-round schedule minimizes the summer learning slump, but opponents say the challenges in coordinating sports activities and childcare make it unrealistic for many families.
Determining the most effective calendar between these approaches continues to be a topic for discussion.
For the College of Charleston, I'm Dr. Rénard Harris.