School Calendar and Academic Achievement: The Influence on Students from Low Socioeconomic Backgrounds

The quantitative, causal-comparative study posed two research questions: (1) What is the

relationship between the type of academic calendar and achievement in reading and

mathematics for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds? and (2) Does the type of

academic calendar affect the amount of summer learning loss experienced by students

from low socioeconomic backgrounds. The sample was comprised of 33 year-round

schools and 33 traditional calendar schools in a Southeastern state where at least 40% of

the student populations were eligible for the federally supported free or reduced-cost

lunch program. Archival achievement data were analyzed using an independent samples t

test to determine the statistical significance of the relationship between the academic

achievement of students from year-round and traditional calendar schools. The summer

learning loss experienced in year-round and traditional calendar schools was measured by

calculating improvement scores and compared using an independent samples t test. Study

results indicated that school calendars did not significantly influence academic

achievement or summer learning loss among fourth grade classes from economically

disadvantaged schools in a Southeastern state. These results implied that both year-round

and traditional school calendars are equally valuable in terms of academic outcomes. This

work contributes to the body of knowledge on school calendar modification and the

socioeconomic achievement gap. The theoretical foundation for this study was provided

by the spaced learning effect because it addressed the potential of spaced learning

intervals to increase the rate of students’ information retention.