Sec. of Education Duncan, Obama want longer school years Bay City News - - MLive.com:
"Education Secretary Arne Duncan wants American kids to spend more time in school to catch up with competing students around the world."
Duncan’s argument for the change came in an Associated Press interview.
“Our school calendar is based upon the agarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today,” he said.
Kids in the U.S. receive 1,146 hours of instructional teaching on average, more than some Asian countries that typically outscore the U.S. in math and sciences. Singapore spends 903 hours, Taiwan spends 1,050 hours, Japan is at 1,005 hours and Hong Kong spends about 1,013 hours.
Those Asian countries typically have a longer school year compared to the U.S., however, about 190 to 201 days to the U.S. 180 days.
With school districts across the county tight on cash, the decision to increase days would have to be financially responsible.
President Barack Obama is in favor with the addition, saying he wants schools to add time to classes, to stay open late and to let kids in on weekends so they have a safe place to go
"Education Secretary Arne Duncan wants American kids to spend more time in school to catch up with competing students around the world."
Duncan’s argument for the change came in an Associated Press interview.
“Our school calendar is based upon the agarian economy and not too many of our kids are working the fields today,” he said.
Kids in the U.S. receive 1,146 hours of instructional teaching on average, more than some Asian countries that typically outscore the U.S. in math and sciences. Singapore spends 903 hours, Taiwan spends 1,050 hours, Japan is at 1,005 hours and Hong Kong spends about 1,013 hours.
Those Asian countries typically have a longer school year compared to the U.S., however, about 190 to 201 days to the U.S. 180 days.
With school districts across the county tight on cash, the decision to increase days would have to be financially responsible.
President Barack Obama is in favor with the addition, saying he wants schools to add time to classes, to stay open late and to let kids in on weekends so they have a safe place to go