Let’s first look at the question.  Should a school spend money on a planner for students?  That begs the next question…what are you trying to accomplish?  Here are some possible answers to that question.

1)     We’ve always given students a planner.  Parents expect it.

2)     It’s the best way to ensure that every student gets a handbook.

3)     We want to help them get their homework done.

You can add your own to the list but I’d make the case that a student planner is a poor vehicle for all of these potential reasons.  If you cannot quantify the benefit of anything you use, then question the value of using it at all.

Second, a planner might do double duty as handbook but that’s not a reason to give students a school planner.  You can print a handbook on newsprint for the same or less than printing and binding in a handbook.

Third, there are many ways to ensure homework assignments can be obtained. With the advent of the internet there is a good chance that your school has assignments available online.

So given these obvious reasons, I can make a pretty good case to “can” the school planners and opt for other uses of those funds…“unless”…the student planner has another more important function!  One that makes a school student planner one of the most valuable investments the school can make.  Next time….