Please identify which group best describes your association
with Center Grove Schools? Check all that apply.
Association with CGCSC
30
143
37
164
Parent/Guardian
Teacher
298
Support Staff
1,320
Community Member
Student
Other
In which of the following levels do you have children
enrolled? Check all that apply.
Level of Children in School
264
560
155
787
Kindergarten
Elementary School
Middle School
557
High School
None
A balanced school year calendar could enhance the
academic achievement for students.
Enhance Achievement?
13%
14%
Agree/Strongly Agree
73%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
Not Sure
A shorter summer vacation time would possibly reduce
learning loss by students.
Reduce Learning Loss?
10%
16%
Agree/Strongly Agree
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
74%
Not Sure
A balanced school year would have a positive impact on my
family’s regular and traditional activities (vacations,
involvement in sports, camps, etc.).
Positive Impact on Family Activities?
16%
Agree/Strongly Agree
24%
60%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
Not Sure
I would like a calendar that starts after Labor Day and
ends around June 20.
Start After Labor Day?
14%
17%
Agree/Strongly Agree
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
69%
Not Sure
I would like a calendar that starts the first of August, has twoweek breaks at the end of each quarter, and ends around June 7.
Balanced Calendar?
10%
Agree/Strongly Agree
24%
66%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
Not Sure
I would like a calendar that is similar to Center Grove’s current
calendar (starts the second week in August and ends around
Memorial Day).
Stay With Current Calendar?
17%
35%
Agree/Strongly Agree
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
48%
Not Sure
It’s important for the first semester to end in December
(prior to winter break/and the new year).
End 1st Semester in December?
17%
Agree/Strongly Agree
12%
71%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
Not Sure
Child care is easy to find during June, July, and the
beginning of August.
Child Care Easy to Find in June, July, August?
43%
46%
Agree/Strongly Agree
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
11%
Not Sure
Child care would be easy to find if there were seven
weeks of summer break.
Child Care if 7 Weeks of Summer Break?
41%
50%
Agree/Strongly Agree
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
9%
Not Sure
Child care would be easy to find if there were two-week
breaks after each quarter.
Child Care During 2 Week Breaks?
26%
49%
Agree/Strongly Agree
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
25%
Not Sure
Having opportunities for students to receive optional
enrichment/remediation after each quarter is an advantage
for students.
Enrichment/Remediation Advantageous?
6%
12%
Agree/Strongly Agree
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
82%
Not Sure
Having a shorter summer break, but two-weeks at the
end of each quarter has advantages for our family.
Shorter Summers, 2 Week Breaks?
14%
Agree/Strongly Agree
22%
64%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
Not Sure
The taxpayer cost of providing education remains the
same no matter which calendar is selected.
Taxpayer Cost Remain the Same?
32%
Agree/Strongly Agree
8%
60%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
Not Sure
Having the same schedule as most of the schools in Johnson
County and nearby school districts is important.
Same Calendar as Surrounding Schools?
13%
Agree/Strongly Disagree
27%
60%
Disagree/Strongly Disagree
Not Sure
Here’s What The Teachers Said
• UTACG surveyed their membership and
received feedback from 84%
• The majority (73.7%) responded favorably to
considering a balanced calendar
• 18.1% responded unfavorably
• 84.7% said they would be open to further
discussion.
• 15.3 % were not interested in any further
discussion
Teacher Questions
• Data showing how it will affect student
achievement
• Athletic and performing arts practice
implications
• Student and parent job implications
• Child care implications
• Contract implications – extended contracts,
sick leave, personal leave, etc.
Balanced Calendars
• Advocates feel many aspects of learning improve
such as student attendance, attitude, academic
achievement and that teachers have greater job
satisfaction
• Opponents insist that there is no substantial
increase in academic student achievement,
research is limited and inadequate, and students,
parents and caregivers must deal with schedule
challenges and adaptation to change
What Does the Research Say?
• There are obviously opposing views to the benefits of a
balanced calendar.
• What both sides would probably agree to is that “much
of the empirical data regarding the effects of YRE
(balanced calendar) on student achievement and other
related outcomes suffers from poor research designs or
incomplete data making it difficult to draw
conclusions.” (Palmer and Bemis, 1999)
• Cooper et al (2003) noted that “weak research designs”
prevent us from making “strong inferences about the
effects of modified calendars.”
What Does the Research Say?
Pros:
Cons:
• Eliminates or reduces the
“learning loss” that takes place
during the long summer break
(Ballinger, 1999; Shields and
Oberg, 2001, Winter, 2005)
• The number of quality studies
conducted and published in this
area is limited (Kneese, 1996)
• Improves student achievement
(Bradford, 1993; Kneese, 1996;
Mutchler, 1993; Peltier, 1991;
Perry, 1991)
• Research on year round schools
does not provide a clear
consensus on the relationship
between year-round schooling
and student achievement
• Shields and Oberg (1999) caution
that there may not be a simple
relationship between student
achievement and the modified
calendar
What Does the Research Say?
Pros:
Cons:
• Students have a more positive
attitude to schooling (Fardig &
Locker, 1992; Shields & Laroque,
1998)
• Evidence on retention of
previously learned material is
mixed at best, may vary according
to subject, and that claims
regarding achievement
differences should be viewed
with caution (Allinder, Fuchs,
Fuchs and Hamlet, 1992)
• Benefits students identified as
“at-risk” (Capps & Cox, 1991;
Gandara & Fish, 1994, Perry,
1991; Serifs, 1990; Evans, 2007)
• Teachers seem less stressed and
have a more positive attitude
(Fardig & Locker, 1992, Shields &
Oberg, 1999)
• A review of 12 empirical studies
examining student attendance,
only one found significantly
higher rates of attendance, while
other showed non-significant
differences in both directions
(Palmer and Bemis, 1999)
What Does the Research Say?
Pros
Cons
• Less absenteeism by both
students and teachers, and a
reduced student dropout rate
(Glines & Mussatii, 2002; Shields
& Oberg, 1999; Zykowski,
Mitchell, Hough & Gavin, 1991)
• Parents found it difficult to
arrange childcare during
intercessions and reported
difficulty coordinating the
schedules of their other children
who attended schools with
traditional calendars (Graves,
2009; Orellana & Thorne, 1998)
• The shorter instructional periods
results in a reduction of teacher
fatigue and burnout and higher
teacher morale (Levine &
Ornstein, 1993)
What Does the Research Say?
Pros
Cons
• Many teachers believe that the
continuity of instruction leads to
a better quality of instruction
(Quinlan, George &Emmett,
1987) and that year-round
schedule impacts positively on
the way in which they plan for
instruction (Shields and Oberg,
2000)
• There was no significant
differences in students’
outcomes, but students and
parents perceived year-round
education benefits (Campbell,
1994)
• Does not reduce class size
• Does not increase building
capacity
Summary
• The preponderance of literature indicates there is no
conclusive evidence to support or refute the value of
a balanced calendar. While it is not clear that a
balanced calendar improves student achievement, it
appears that is does not bring about a decline in
achievement either
• A substantial body of work indicates there are no
significant differences in achievement between
students on a modified calendar and those on a
traditional one (Harp, 1993; Zykowski et al., 1991)
Surrounding Schools
Balanced Calendar
• MSD Warren Township
• MSD Wayne Township
• MSD Perry Township
• MSD Franklin Township
• Avon
• Brownsburg
• IPS
• Beech Grove
Considering
• Clark-Pleasant
• Greenwood*
• C-9*
• Plainfield*
• *Modified this year
What’s Next?
 Gather input from parents/teachers
 Review research
Work with UTACG to develop calendar proposal(s)
for the 2013-14 school year
Bring a proposal back to the board in March, 2012
(Provides community 17 months to prepare for 2013-14
calendar)