Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: No research to back up Rahm's push for longer school day

Mike Klonsky's SmallTalk Blog: No research to back up Rahm's push for longer school day

No research to back up Rahm's push for longer school day

by Mike Klonsky

Chicago mayor and school boss, Rahm Emanuel thinks he's found the magic bullet of school reform.He's been touting the longer school day and school year as solutions for Chicago's "failing schools." Using Houston, Texas as his model, the mayor claims that lengthening the school day can add "three years" of instructional time for each student. He never mentions where the money is going to come from to pay teachers, or heat and cool buildings. Measurable learning outcomes in Houston, btw, are nothing to write home about.
Now comes word from several authoritative folks at the recent Wallace Foundation forum on "Reimagining the