Today, the typical public school year is 180 days long, leaving about 16 weeks of child care to be covered by working parents who have only two to three weeks of paid leave (if they have any at all).

How did we get here and what happens when we try to change tradition? Jennifer + Rachael break out their calendars this week to track it all down.

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Episode Links 

The History of School and Summer Vacation — By James Pedersen 

Year-Round Schooling Explained — By Jaclyn Zubrzycki 

Popularity Grows Anew for Year-Round Schooling — By Madeline Will 

The Pros & Cons of Year-Round School — By Brooke McGuire 

First Days of School, Decade by Decade — By Elizabeth A. Harris 

School's in: The History of Summer Education in American Public Schools – By Kenneth Mark Gold 

Agrarian Roots? Think Again. Debunking the Myth of Summer Vacation’s Origins — By Saskia de Melker and Sam Weber 

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