In his State of the State address on Wednesday in Albany, Gov. Andrew Cuomo discussed the possibility of extending the school day and/or the school year to help better educate students. Cuomo proposed a competitive grant program for schools that develop initiatives to improve student achievement that would include extending learning time by at least 25 percent.
We asked our Facebook fans if they felt that extending the school day/school year would be a benefit to students. Below are a few of the responses (add your own thoughts on the topic in the comments section below this article).
Sean Brown: Having family members that are teachers in this state, the big problem isn't so much teacher quality, it's student quality. We're so afraid of hurting someone's feelings that students that don't meet the standard are forced into the next grade, setting them up for continued failure. These failures then reflect on the teacher that has to take time away from competent students to spend more time with students that are well below grade level. And we wonder why the world is beating us.
Kelly Guadagna: I don't think that extending the school day/year would help at all. These kids are already doing 3-4 hours of homework each night and don't even have time to just be a kid. Are you going to take away what little time left they have?
Jeanne Beilouny Tapler: My kids' school day is already extended by the insane amount of homework they have each night. Not to mention reports and projects that I did in later grades than what my kids are in now. There's already too much pressure on them.
Katerina Nicole: The vast majority of teachers care a tremendous amount for their students. Smaller classes would help. Longer days and additional schooling will only burn out the students. They need the breaks to refocus, play, create and learn about the outside world. Education does not only happen within the walls of a school.
Sarah Schreiber: Extending the school day is not the answer. Teachers do care. Unfortunately, all these politicians want is to say they made a difference by improving test scores. First of all, education is more than one score on one test that is poorly written by some overpaid company. Second of all, students are not held accountable for state test scores, but teachers are. Those politicians and anyone else who thinks that you can make kids care about a test that does not affect their grades for the year can step into the classroom and try it.
Kelly O'Keeffe-Kellers: The school year needs an update, it's 2013. There are 365 days in the year yet they are only in school for 180, which includes half days.. Give me a break. We are not the smartest nation by far. Our children need a better education.
