Is More Time in School Better?
What Expanded Learning Time Means For Your Child
A new movement that aims to lengthen the amount of time children spend in school is picking up speed.
Why spend more time in school?
In schools throughout the US, educators are testing the theory that more time in school can help to improve the quality of education. It’s based on the belief that the current 180-day calendar was developed to meet the needs of farms and factories, and it doesn’t allow children and teachers enough time to meet the goals of a 21st Century Education.
What is expanded learning time?
The term “expanded” means increasing the school day, week or year with more hours. It’s not just about lengthening the school day, because the goal is to restructure the school day in a way that allows for additional learning opportunities beyond just more seat time and a focus on academic curricula. Expanded learning time allows schools to go beyond the requirements of No Child Left Behind to provide children with a more holistic education. The belief is that 30% more time could make a big difference in the life of a child.
Is more time better?
In the fall of 2006, the Massachusetts Department of Education and Mass 2020, a Boston-based “action tank” began an experiment to lengthen the school day in 10 schools in 5 districts. In September 2007, 9 new schools in 4 districts schools joined the Expanded Learning Time Initiative, with the potential for a total of 80 schools to engage in the planning process during the 2008 school year. Preliminary results from the Massachusetts experiment look promising, and can be found on Mass 2020’s website: www.mass2020.org.
What Does A Longer School Day Look Like?
The Massachusetts experience has shown that additional time has given schools more freedom for innovation. Schools have redesigned their daily schedules to allow for:
1) More project-based and experiential learning—something that can be supported by partnerships with local organizations and institutions of higher education.
2) Afterschool and community-based partnerships as an integral part of an expanded day. In Massachusetts’ pilot schools, students are going swimming and learning drumming, dance, filmmaking, and Mandarin Chinese--all as part of the school day.
3) Regular professional development and common planning time, two things teachers have identified as being critical to their own learning.
Don’t American kids spend too much time in school already?
Data drawn from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows that compared to 45 other countries, US schools actually have fewer instructional hours:
- US students spend 905 total learning hours in school a year.
- Of 40 developed nations reviewed, the US is 36th in the amount of time spent in school.
- Australian children spend almost 978 instructional hours, and Japan, Germany and Korea are in school for well over 1,000 instructional hours a year.
- US students spend an average of 5.68 hours a week on homework.
- Children in Turkey spend almost 9 hours on homework a week, and students in Hungary spend almost 10.
It’s About Time
On October 2, a new organization was launched in Washington, D.C. to promote expanded learning time. The National Center on Time and Learning will provide research and support for states’ efforts to expand the school day and increase academic and enrichment opportunities for students. To learn more about the Center and expanded learning time, visit The National Center on Time and Learning.
Related articles:
Expanded Learning Time Makes Gains
 |
 |
 |
