What are the cons and pros of extended school hours?

Question

like from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm every schoolday

Answer 1

The cons would be the cost of education by the taxpayers. You are adding atleast 40.00 a day per each educator. That doesn't include the administrators and other support staff. Also, children may tire of being in class all day long.

The pros would be that there would be more time for labs, projects, and tutoring. Extra curricular activities could be accomplished during these times. Children would be under supervision and transported less during the parents' working hours. This would really help students struggling to learn.

I love this question because elementary school students only attend school from 7:30 to 1:30 and only to 12:30 each Wednesday where I live. I would be thrilled if the school day was extended here for another hour. The children could learn so much more.

Answer 2

Having school hours from 7:30 to 5:30 only benefits working parents on an 8 to 5 M-F work schedule. It is free babysitting for them, but paid by the taxpayers.

I do agree that school hours should be expanded, but only slightly and more for the purpose of some extra recess for the students and breaks for the teachers.

In the school district where I teach, the teachers go for about 3 1/2 hours before first lunch and there is no break before then. Adding a 15-20 minute recess would not be unreasonable. There is no recess in the afternoon except the one immediately after lunch. Then add 15-20 minutes at the end of the day. Sounds simple, but there is considerable reluctance on the part of many teachers and some of the bus drivers.

For perspective, the hours you mentioned are the hours I work, even if the students don't get to school until 8:30 and leave at 3:30. I can easily stay until 5:30 grading papers, entering grades into grade-books, and other tasks associated with teaching. I won't go into the lesson planning, research, parent contact, etc. done at night and on weekends.