By JACK PALMER
palmer@crescent-news.com
Gov. Ted Strickland's proposal to add 20 school days over a 10-year period is bringing mixed reaction, including in northwest Ohio.
Strickland believes that public schools should be in session for the international average of 200 days. Most states, including Ohio, have a 180-day school year.
"I know they are doing this in other countries," said Mark Hartman, superintendent of Antwerp Local Schools. "There are two sides to this story. I can argue both sides."
Though the attention being paid to the issue is growing, the topic is not new. In 1983, the Nation at Risk study of U.S. education called for seven hours of classroom instruction daily and 200-220 days in school.
Hartman said that if the longer school year benefits kids educationally and the cost can be worked out at the state level, it would be a good thing.
"The cost is my biggest concern. We are already struggling to make payroll and I don't want to go back to the taxpayers and ask for more money. I think Gov. Strickland's reasoning is good, but is it practical?"
Hartman said tacking 20 days to the end of the school year would hurt students who need to work 20-30 hours per week each summer to help save for college.
"We live in a rural area and we have several students in that category," said Hartman. "Being in school another 20 days in June would limit their summer earning potential."
The Ohio Education Association figures to have a big say in whether Strickland's plan is implemented.
"OEA supports expanded learning time for students, but school employees must receive additional compensation for the additional days and hours," said OEA spokesman Michele Prater. "Phasing in more days and hours must be negotiated as part of collective bargaining."
Prater called the Strickland proposal "bare bones" at this time.
"There's no meat to it yet," she said. "We don't know if the days will be added to the end of the school year, at the beginning of the school year, or in the middle. We don't even know if they will be used exclusively for student learning."
State Rep. Bruce Goodwin, R-Defiance, also noted that when and how extra days would be added has not yet been determined.
"I've talked to new state superintendent (Deborah Delisle) and she said everything is open for discussion," said Goodwin, a former teacher. "My own experience tells me that the plan's effectiveness depends on when days are added.
"If the 20 days are just tacked on at the end of the school year, it presents a difficult situation for schools where there is no air conditioning. When I taught at Defiance Junior High and Ayersville there were many days in the late spring when it was 98 degrees. I'll guarantee you, there wasn't much learning in those situations."
Goodwin, however, agreed that 20 additional school days would provide districts with greater flexibility in meeting curriculum and testing requirements.
"We just need to keep in mind that there are more pieces to the puzzle than the cost," he said.
"We need to look at the big picture. If days are added in June and/or August, how will this affect family vacation time? Even now it's difficult for families to get away, especially if their children are involved in athletics," Goodwin added.
The tourism industry and summer camps would also be affected by adding school days during the summer months.
"We oppose this change in the school calendar," said Robin Innes, director of public relations at Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky. "It would result in a loss of business, that's for sure."
Innes said the park's busy season has already been shortened by schools starting in August.
"Several years ago when school started after Labor Day, the last two weeks of August were a busy time for us. It was prime family vacation time and an important part of our summer business.
"Ohio's tourism industry pays about $2.5 billion in annual taxes to the state and local governments," added Innes.
"Those revenues will decrease if the summer vacation time is shortened."
Two longer school year plans have already been implemented in Ohio, with different results.
Grove Patterson Academy in Toledo, a regular public school, has thrived on a 190-day year since opening about 10 years ago. Students receive eight hours of instruction daily, the equivalent of 47 more days. They start their day with 90 minutes of uninterrupted reading and also receive a minimum of 30 minutes each day of Spanish or German.
In contrast, the Dayton school board voted Tuesday to go back to a more traditional school year, abandoning the year-round school calendar adopted in 2005. Interim schools superintendent Kurt Stanic explained the arrangement hasn't served students as well as the district had hoped.
"Students need a break that is longer than a couple of weeks," said Goodwin. "I think teachers do, too, in order to reach their best performance level in the classroom."