In April, the NWEA, a non-profit evaluation organization, published a study showing that some students start classes this fall almost a year later than usual, which is part of the phenomenon known as “dodging. “Not all students will be affected in the same way.” Other studies predict that losses are likely to be greater among low-income, black and Spanish students. In schools in the Hornak district for example, parents can choose to send their children to school throughout the year during the transition period. Some schools ask to take the year-round interim examinations if they need additional assistance, while in other schools the programmes are voluntary and open to all students. The Harlandale administration has tried to ease the transition to distance learning by providing students with tablets, Wi-Fi parking buses throughout the district, and working with food banks to distribute food and school supplies. In addition to reducing learning losses, school principals see this as a way to reduce classroom overcrowding by allowing different groups of students to attend classes at different times,” he said, as well as reducing teacher fatigue by taking more frequent breaks in classes. Jose Espinoza, director of the Independent School District of El Paso Socorro, where one school has been operating year-round since the 1990s, is a supporter of the calendar, but he said it is not an ideal solution. The schools use extra breaks, known as “crossroads”, to offer enrichment activities such as art camps and excursions, or tutoring and other help to reach underachieving students. Garland Independent School District, North Texas, voted in June to approve a two-year, year-round education system. “We know that our children will be more affected and disadvantaged,” Russell said of an area where more than 60 percent of students have low incomes. This school report was produced this year by The Hechinger Report, an independent, non-profit news organization that focuses on inequality and innovation in education. According to Hornak, about 4 percent of K-12 students, or about 3 million, attend school throughout the year. While research on the effectiveness of the model is mixed, proponents argue that it prevents students at risk from falling behind and ensures that school meals and other services are provided to students more regularly. The pandemic has increased awareness of the multiple roles that schools play, from free meals and access to the Internet to adult care, and the loss of knowledge that children experience when they do not go to school. Even in a typical year, many teachers see asummer slide’ when students return to school after a long break with reduced knowledge. Throughout the year, the education system began to gain popularity in the 1980s, according to David Hornack, executive director of the National Association for Year-round Education and curator of Holt Public Schools in Michigan.