Extend the school day, but do it right
Extend the school day to make time for academics and foreign languages, sports, music, drama, debate and other enriching activities, writes Sehba Ali, chief academic officer for KIPP’s Bay Area schools, in Newsweek.
I met the dynamic Ali when she was recruiting students for KIPP Heartwood Academy, a public charter school in San Jose that ranks in the top 10 percent of California schools, despite its low-income, minority enrollment. KIPP’s school day typically goes from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., along with a mandatory three-week summer-school program, Ali notes.
But a long school day that’s all math and reading will burn out students, Ali warns. Teacher burn-out also is a risk.
At KIPP, we build in time during the day for teachers to meet with colleagues in the same grade or