Schools Offer More for Less in Longer Year

January 11, 2010

Faced with dwindling state funding and a growing array of educational challenges, many districts in Arizona are working hard to do m ore with less.

Districts facing increased educational standards and diminished resources are finding the status quo is no longer acceptable. On top of it all, the typical 180-day school year limits what can be accomplished in meeting these challenges.

Balsz Elementary School District asked, "How can we afford to have more time to raise student achievement?"
Our community, with the support of the Arizona Department of Education
, found the answer by taking advantage of a little-known Arizona law that allows districts to increase their school year by 20 days with the promise of 5 percent more funding.

Arizona, like most states, requires a 180-day school year. The addition of 20 school days equates to a full year of instruction by the time students reach high school.

Our longer school year provides time for teachers to do what they do best, affording students a more consistent academic setting throughout the year. Four more weeks of school also helps parents who appreciate more educational time for their children in a safe and nurturing environment.

The 200-day school year adds focused instructional time for all students and increased professional-development time for staff. Many reform efforts involve a major shift in the way teachers organize and present information, requiring schools to essentially "retool" the teaching and learning process. Precious professional-development time is allocated to master new teaching methods.

The traditional school calendar is inadequate to accommodate the more extensive curriculum and higher standards required in today’s world.

The Balsz governing board, teachers, support staff and administrators demonstrated courage by embracing this new and innovative calendar. Arizona is now the national leader in extending the school year. We applaud the state Legislature for this forward-thinking opportunity and encourage our state leaders to continue to look for creative ways to fund education.

One thing is certain: Having the necessary community-, district- and state-level support is essential to our success and the success of all schools in Arizona.