Details of Longer CPS School Day

As promised, according to this morning's Chicago Sun-Times article, the Chicago Public School students will see their day lengthened by anywhere from 90 to 140 minutes next year.

As mentioned on other occasions, I am in favor of a longer school day. I am sure the students will benefit from having additional classroom instruction time. No doubt about it.

The pluses could be huge and notice, please, that I said that the benefits 'could be' significant. No, I am not be skeptical at the outset; rather, raising some serious points that haven't been fully answered.

For one, the day is being lengthened for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Additional instruction time likely means more class periods and that will necessitate additional teachers. Little mention was made in the Trib's article about a real commitment to hiring more teachers.

Ninety to one hundred and forty minutes added to the school day will require teachers to put in much more time at school. The question needs to be raised, what compensation will be provided to the teachers? I can't fathom anyone realistically expecting teachers to put in the extra time pro bono.

Here's another concern. Though an additional 54 minutes will be added to the elementary school instructional day and 46 minutes to the high school day, what will use will be made of the remaining period of time? How will that additional time be used? If it's not used wisely then simply adding minutes to the day will prove to be useless.

Finally, one more factor needs to be part of this process. All parties need to make sure that school officials, building staff, teachers, parents and students buy into the lengthening of the day. If this doesn't take place then all of the plans, no matter how well intended will fail.

Let's hope for the best!
Dick