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Over 1,000 schools across the country are expanding their schedule. Experience what it means to expand school time from the perspective of school leaders, teachers, parents, and students.
On Monday, The U.S. Department of Education, the Ford Foundation and the National Center for Time and Learning (NCTL), announced the formation of the TIME Collaborative. This initiative will support more than 40 selected schools in Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York and Tennessee that will be open an additional 300 hours during the 2013-2014 school year. For schools on a 180-day calendar, that would add more than an hour and a half of instruction per day.
The TIME Collaborative, a partnership between NCTL and the Ford Foundation, is funded by federal, state and private funds. NCTL will provide technical support for schools, while the Ford Foundation is offering $3 million in grant funds.
One of the group’s goals is to reduce achievement gaps for children who live in impoverished communities. "More learning time was simply necessary to close opportunity and achievement gaps," David Farbman, senior researcher at NCTL, wrote on the organization’s official blog.
Don't expect most students to be thrilled by the prospect of longer days in their school buildings. "We just want to get out of school and have a little break from all of that intense, you know, learning," Massachusetts middle school student Hannah Kirstel told CNN affiliate WWLP.
We want to know what you think: Will a longer school day translate to better student achievement? Post your comments below.
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