State rep wants mandatory summer school for some

Students who fall behind in core subjects would trade a summer of sleeping in for more time in the classroom under a bill a Poplar Bluff, Mo., state representative plans to introduce.

Republican Steve Cookson, a former school superintendent, believes a uniform school calendar and mandatory summer school for students who fail to achieve proficiency in their grade level for math, communication arts, science and social studies is needed.

In each subject, less than 60 percent of Missouri students made the grade in spring 2013 testing, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

"Kids would be required to attend to get remediation. Summer school would be highly concentrated on helping students catch up and overcome areas they are doing poorly," said Cookson, who previously has introduced bills for a uniform school year, but has added mandatory summer school for the first time.

The bill would require districts to start on or after the first Tuesday in September and close the school year by May 31. With those parameters, schools could set their own schedule for semesters and holidays.

A sample calendar provided by Cookson suggested with seven-hour school days, districts could end the year by May 10. The calendar includes six holidays in addition to at least one-week breaks for fall, Christmas and spring.

Long breaks

Summer school would be four days a week, starting the second Monday in June and ending by July 30 to allow long breaks between regular school.

"Hopefully, this would help eliminate social promotions, where kids are passed on and don't have the skills, getting farther and farther behind," Cookson said.

Educators have long said the lengthy summer months can create problems when children return to school, especially for those who struggle.

Boys and Girls Club executive director Chris Rushin is passionate about the value of summer learning, reporting that 75 percent of its participants improved or maintained their scores in reading and math during the 2013 break.

"Summer learning loss is real. There have been multiple studies that prove that. When summer vacation hits, some children will not pick up a book," Rushin said, adding that as an eighth-grade football coach, he saw players who were far behind their classmates.

"You're talking about three months," he said. "From kindergarten to eighth grade, before you know it, they're 2 1/2 years behind some other kids."

Boys and Girls Club uses the same pre- and post-tests used by Poplar Bluff schools to assess their summer programs. Poplar Bluff reported summer growth in 2013 of at least 7 percent at each of its campuses in communication arts and math.

But Rushin is concerned that, as his club has seen, money can limit the best of intentions.

"The hard part will be finding the funding necessary to make that a reality. The more education for our children, the better their opportunities in life. … But it's always going to come down to funding," Rushin said.

Cookson argues that districts receive state funding for summer school, and additional students will increase the average daily attendance, which is calculated to determine the amount paid.

Clearwater superintendent Deborah Hand said it would be difficult to comment without seeing the language of the bill, but she said funding for a mandatory summer school would be concerning. Her district provides an open enrichment program during the summer at the elementary level and remediation classes for upper grades. Program costs are only partially covered by state funding, Hand said.

More support for students will always have value, said Poplar Bluff Superintendent Chris Hon, but he also is concerned about funding, as well as how the requirement would be enforced among students and parents.

"My first question is what accountability would be transferred to students and parents," Hon said, adding, "I would also be concerned about how our public would look at the absence of local control."

Cookson said he supports local control, but it also can become "local out-of-control." There is nothing in state law that prevents schools from a July 1 to February calendar, for instance, he said.

Hon suggested input from school officials would be needed when crafting the bill.

School calendar, increased hours of instruction, remediation and acceleration are among the topics to be discussed next week at a series of public meetings held by a House interim education committee. The group will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Three Rivers College.

Under Cookson's sample calendar, districts still could achieve 1,085 regular hours, more than the 1,044 required. He believes a seven-hour school day would also help reduce juvenile crime by supervising them more between 3 and 7 p.m., when most juvenile crimes occur.

Summer school would total 144 hours, with 24 instructional days. Poplar Bluff's students attended 140 hours at the elementary level in 2012, when classes were five days a week through June.

Students take state tests in core subjects at various grade levels. Third through eighth grade receives math and communication arts testing each year, while high school students take a variety of end-of-course exams at different levels. These include English II, algebra I, biology and government. The number of high school testing requirements is increasing gradually.