by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman
In the 1880's schools were open 250 days a year as opposed to today's usual 180. Twenty-five years ago, the report, “A Nation at Risk,” urged a longer school day and 20-40 days added to the school year to ward off the “rising tide of mediocrity”.
With high numbers of low achievers, educators are looking for extra time to teach and in an Education Week article more than 300 initiatives are identified that started in high-poverty, high-minority areas in 30 states between 1991 and 2007.
In Chicago, New York, DC and New Orleans and in Massachusetts and New Hampshire learning time has been expanded. Nationally, Ted Kennedy, with two other Senators introduced a bill providing grants to partnerships expanding learning time in schools by 30%.
Two-thirds of charter schools extend the day and there is increasing thought to different ways of learning skills, such as internships and enrichment programs like art classes and chess.
Barack Obama’s children aren’t happy that he’s talking about a longer school day; and despite little research, there is no question that attention is being given to more hours to learn.
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