A new report released information that charter schools in Boston that have an extended day outperform other schools in the city.
Extra Hours Puts Students at an Advantage
A charitable organization that that supports charter schools, The Boston Foundation, announced in a report that 378 more hours in the school year used for tutoring math and English are effective. The extended time is also seen as beneficial for teachers by providing them more time to
- Instructional training,
- Discussing struggling students,
- Analyzing testing data,
- Developing plans to help students. [1]
Added time seems to be a win-win for both students and teachers.
New Study Supports Longer School Day
Boston Foundation President Paul Grogan said, "The additional hours at Boston charter schools are staggering. They are not just adding more time, they are creating more opportunities." [1] The extra hours have caught the attention of those in education for several reasons. The hours have
- Raised standardized test scores,
- Revitalized the culture of a school,
- Ensured time for the arts, music and physical education
The arts, music and physical education are often cut due to budget cuts and time constraints. Having a longer school day removes the need to cut these areas.
Law Requires a Longer School Day
A law passed this year in Massachusetts asks superintendents to lengthen the school day. Boston’s Superintendent Carol R. Johnson is trying to turn around Boston’s underachieving schools and adding up to an hour a day as the twelve targeted schools is strongly suggested. "I think this report reaffirms we are heading in the right direction for more time in our turnaround schools," says Johnson. [1] The average Boston school is in session for 6.1 hours per day. Charter schools are in session 8.2 hours per day. In addition to the longer days, charter schools begin school two weeks prior to Labor Day adding extra days in addition to the extra hours.
The American Institutes for Research Conducts Study
The report revealed the value of the extended school day and was conducted by The American Institutes for Research, a nonprofit based in Washington, D.C. The foundation focuses on nonpartisan behavioral and social research. The research was strongly based on surveys with a 79% return rate. The surveys were sent to principals of 13 charter schools and 135 traditional schools. The survey included questions about staffing, scheduling, instruction, teacher training and student testing. [1] Susan Bowles Therriault, senior research analyst, said the greatest flexibilities in staffing would enable principals to make decisions on classroom assignments, hiring and firing, teacher training, and require teachers to work together.
The Boston Foundation issued a report last year that said charter schools significantly outperformed traditional schools. This new report addresses the methods used to achieve the improvements.
[1] Vaznis, James, "Charter schools gain edge from hours, says study," Boston Globe, May 12, 2010.
Barbara Pytel - Email me Experience Although I was never particularly fond of going to school as an ELL student, I ironically became a teacher, ...
