GED Essay Example: School Calendars

Example GED essay prompts about school calendars often appear in the RLA writing section, asking test-takers to weigh the pros and cons of different academic schedules, such as year-round schooling or four-day weeks. These topics challenge you to think critically about how calendar changes affect students, teachers, and families while building a well-supported argument using the provided sources.

Read the prompt and task instruction below. Your task is to write a well-organized extended response of at least 300 words in 45 minutes, as shown in the Model Response that follows.

GED Essay Samples by Topics

GED Writing Resources

Edit Template

Task Instruction

Analyze the arguments presented in the two speeches. In your response, develop an argument in which you explain how one position is better supported than the other. Incorporate relevant and specific evidence from both sources to support your argument. Remember, the better-argued position is not necessarily the position with which you agree. This task should take approximately 45 minutes to complete.

Passage A

The Case for Year-Round Schooling

By Dr. Helena Ruiz (Published in Educational Policy Review)

Traditional summer breaks are a relic of America’s agricultural past, when children needed to help with farming and families depended on their labor during harvest season. However, this historical necessity no longer reflects modern American life, where less than 2% of the population works in agriculture. Today, mounting research evidence shows that students lose up to two months of reading and math skills during long summer breaks. Educators call this “summer learning loss” or the “summer slide.”

This academic regression is particularly devastating for students from low-income families, who often lack access to educational resources during summer months. While affluent families can afford tutoring, educational camps, and enrichment activities, disadvantaged students frequently spend summers without books, structured learning, or academic support. Studies conducted by Johns Hopkins University demonstrate that the achievement gap between wealthy and poor students grows significantly during summer breaks, with low-income students losing more ground academically than their privileged peers.

Year-round schooling, which spreads learning throughout the year with shorter, more frequent breaks of 2-3 weeks instead of one long summer vacation, can prevent this academic regression. Research from districts that have implemented year-round calendars shows improved retention rates and more consistent academic progress. Students maintain their learning momentum without the lengthy interruption that allows skills to deteriorate.

Beyond improving learning time, year-round schedules address the critical issue of school overcrowding by allowing different student groups to attend school at different times through a multi-track system. This approach maximizes facility usage and can accommodate 25-33% more students in the same building, providing significant cost savings for school districts facing budget constraints and growing enrollment.

Also, year-round schooling provides working parents with consistent childcare throughout the year. Instead of managing a 10-12 week summer break, parents deal with shorter 2-3 week breaks that are easier to arrange coverage for. This system essentially extends school-based supervision from 9 months to nearly 12 months, providing greater stability for working families

Ultimately, year-round schooling offers clear advantages over traditional calendars. By eliminating the long summer break, schools can prevent learning loss and keep students academically engaged throughout the year. The system also addresses practical concerns like overcrowding and childcare needs that many families face today. While change is never easy, the evidence suggests that year-round scheduling better serves students, families, and schools in our modern society.

Passage B

A Critical Look at Calendar Reform

By Michael Thompson, Curriculum Specialist in English Language Arts

While proponents of year-round schooling cite academic benefits, the evidence remains mixed and inconclusive. Multiple comprehensive studies, including research published by the National Association of Elementary School Principals in 2025, show no significant improvement in student achievement with year-round schedules. Some districts that switched to year-round calendars have actually seen declining test scores and increased student stress due to the constant academic pressure without adequate mental breaks.

Traditional summer breaks provide crucial time for holistic student development that extends far beyond standardized test performance. During these extended breaks, students engage in diverse experiences through summer camps, extended family vacations, and age-appropriate employment opportunities. These experiences build essential social skills, independence, and real-world knowledge that cannot be replicated in classroom settings. Summer camps teach teamwork, outdoor skills, and creative expression. Family vacations create lasting memories and expose children to different cultures and environments. Summer jobs for teenagers develop work ethic, financial responsibility, and practical skills that prepare them for adult life.

The academic focus of year-round schooling advocates ignores the importance of unstructured time for childhood development. Child psychologists emphasize that children need extended periods of free play and exploration to develop creativity, problem-solving abilities, and emotional resilience. The constant academic pressure of year-round schedules can lead to burnout and decreased motivation for learning.

Furthermore, implementing year-round schooling requires expensive building modifications, particularly installing and maintaining air conditioning systems that must operate throughout hot summer months. These costs can strain already tight school budgets, potentially reducing funding for teachers, books, and educational programs. Many school buildings were designed for traditional schedules and lack adequate ventilation and cooling systems for year-round occupancy.

Year-round scheduling also creates significant family conflicts, particularly for families with children attending different schools or different grade levels that might follow different calendar systems. Parents struggle to coordinate childcare, family vacations, and household schedules when siblings have conflicting school calendars.

Many teachers also rely on traditional summer breaks for essential professional development opportunities, advanced degree coursework, and additional income through summer employment. These activities ultimately benefit students by creating more qualified, financially stable educators. Year-round schedules can interfere with teachers’ ability to pursue continuing education and supplemental income, potentially leading to higher teacher turnover rates.

Model Response on GED Essay School Calendars Topic

The debate over traditional and year-round school calendars raises important questions for schools. Both Ruiz and Thompson share valid points about how to balance learning with practical concerns. However, Thompson’s argument is more convincing because he addresses both academic and social factors, showing why the traditional calendar supports students more effectively.

Although Ruiz makes a compelling point about summer learning loss, her argument relies heavily on a single academic factor. Her argument about reducing overcrowding through staggered schedules is logical, but it doesn’t address the potential complications this could create for families and school operations.

In contrast, Thompson provides a more well-rounded analysis by addressing multiple aspects of the issue. He acknowledges the academic argument but challenges it with reference to conflicting studies, demonstrating a more balanced approach to the evidence. More importantly, Thompson presents several concrete examples of valuable summer activities that contribute to student development beyond academic metrics including camps, family time, and employment opportunities. These activities develop crucial life skills that complement classroom learning.

Thompson also raises practical considerations that Ruiz leaves out. The financial burden of retrofitting schools with air conditioning and the impact on teachers’ professional development and supplemental income are significant factors that would affect implementation. These practical challenges, combined with potential family scheduling conflicts, present realistic obstacles that Ruiz’s argument fails to address.

Moreover, while Ruiz’s argument about childcare challenges for working parents is valid, she presents this as a primary educational policy driver without acknowledging that schools’ main purpose is education, not childcare. On the contrary, Thompson’s focus on comprehensive student development aligns more closely with educational goals.

In conclusion, both Ruiz and Thompson offer ideas worth considering, but Thompson presents a stronger case for keeping traditional school calendars. By carefully balancing academic needs with social and practical factors, he demonstrates that the traditional schedule is the best way to support student success.

(311 words)

More GED Essay Examples