Is an extended school day the right choice for U.S. students?
extend | radical | crucial | attain | initiative
extend | radical | crucial | attain | initiative
People who want to extend the school day believe it is crucial for helping schools improve. In 2009, there were 650 American schools using an extended school day. By 2015, this number had grown to 1,500 schools.
Estimate the percent increase in the number of schools using extended day from 2009 to 2015.
A. 130%
B. 30%
C. 230%
D. 43%
Most American students now go to school for 180 six-hour days. Senator Kennedy’s initiative proposed extending the school day by 30%—a radical increase. If each 6-hour school day were extended according to Senator Kennedy’s plan, each day would be how many hours?
There are alternative ways to attain the goal of extending school time by 30%. For example, schools could add days to the school year instead of changing the length of each individual school day. If the 180-day school year were extended according to this plan, each year would be how many days?
Which would be a more radical change: more hours each school day or more days each school year? Which kind of initiative would win more support from parents? Which one would do a better job of helping students attain academic excellence? Some students think it’s crucial to have a long summer vacation. Others believe long summer vacations are too hard for working parents and that students may forget what they have learned. What do you think?