Education

Should Rural Schools’ Calendars Mimic Farmers’ Schedules?

By Diette Courrégé Casey — September 04, 2012 1 min read
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One farmer and author is wondering whether the calendar of rural schools should once again more closely align with that of farmers.

David Mas Masumoto, of Del Rey, Calif., wrote a column appearing in a few California newspapers, including The Fresno Bee, about whether the place surrounding rural schools should affect them. He argues those should, particularly in rural areas.

“I advocate for a sense of place to be part of the new standards of education, especially in rural areas where schools play a fundamental role in framing lives; we lose something when schools are disconnected from where families live and work,” he writes. “I do not advocate for children returning to the fields, but I do hope rural rhythms are part of a school calendar. A Valley farm community should feel and function differently than a big city school district.”

He makes good points that raise interesting questions. What would rural educators would say, and what would that mean for the timing of state-mandated testing?

A version of this news article first appeared in the Rural Education blog.