The Board of Education wants to add hours to our school schedule. The proposed problem is that American students' test scores lag behind countries in Europe and Asia. People think that extending the school year into the summer will help American students compete academically with other countries, but the summer is necessary for academic respite, extending it would cost millions, and there is not enough evidence to argue that would improve academic performance. Ideally, extending school hours into the summer would equate to more learning. For example, “Much knowledge is lost while American children spend the summer months away from class” (qtd. in Smyth). “The only ones who don't lose are the top 10-15% of the student body. These tend to be gifted, college-bound, natural learners who will learn wherever they are," said Charles Ballinger. (Smyth) Smith's research clearly shows that students lose what they have learned throughout the school year and However, if students went to school during the summer their transition to the next grade would be much easier...