that is great news! lol It's true, most will start out from 7:30 to 5 in
the evening and a couple more hours every other Saturday, even school in
the summer time. How did I hear? I saw on Yahoo news.

glad im in college now

well i hope that isnt for Fla..thats too much..im sorry, but it
is..mon-fri 8-3 is plenty..6th-8th 9-4..high school..7:30-3..if they
had school on a sat, my kids would freak, lol!!

thats a good think keep them in school longer!!

I feel even though this is a good idea, alot of kids are going to get
bored or fustrated with school and eventually drop out because of the
time laps in school. Think about alot of us being in school, how tired
and drained we were and if we had to be in that much longer. Now even
though I dropped out (due to have to work for a living) I know I would
more then likely not have tried. I hated school as it was.

Well I hope that is just another news that goes unheard. dealing with
students from 8 am to 3 pm and saturdays is good enough. children need
also recreation.
If they get out that late, how are they going to do HW and relax a bit.
Too little is no good and too much is no good. So as for having school
from 7:30 - 5 is just unfair to the teacher and the students.
This is also fair for those parent who want to get rid of their children
because they don't know how to deal with them.

I think our kids need to learn more and other countries have longer
hours. America is going to fall behind.....

BUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a teacher and until they can improve my
benefits .........there is no way I am teaching until 5. They already
stated my teacher retirement was a WINDFALL and because I get a
teacher's retirement I can't collect social security from other jobs
I've worked and it gets worse. If I were married and my husband died, I
couldn't get his either....all because they think that my teacher
retirement is a windfall.....have that in writing.
Sooooooooooo......they can extend the hours and I will find a better job
with more benefits. And that is really sad, because this country is
going to lose some pretty gifted teachers. I think the ss issue is TEXAS
teachers as well as a few other states!

Misty -- I was curious about this, so I checked the article blondevamp
mentioned. Turns out it's about a school in Massachusetts that's
experimenting with a longer school day. Here's a snip:

==============================================================

Harris runs Fletcher-Maynard Academy, a combined public elementary and
middle school in Cambridge, Mass., that is experimenting with an
extended, eight-hour school day.

"It has sort of loosened up the pace," Harris said. "It's not as rushed
and frenzied."

The school, which serves mostly poor, minority students, is one of 10 in
the state experimenting with a longer day as part of a $6.5 million
program.

While Massachusetts is leading in putting in place the longer-day model,
lawmakers in Minnesota, New Mexico, New York and Washington, D.C., also
have debated whether to lengthen the school day or year.

One model that traditional public schools are looking to is the
Knowledge is Power Program, which oversees public charter schools
nationwide.

Those schools typically serve low-income middle-school students, and
their test scores show success. Students generally go from 7:30 a.m. to
5 p.m. during the week and for a few hours every other Saturday. They
also go to school for several weeks in the summer.

==============================================================

Don't quit your job just yet!

I teach ESL and more time would certainly serve their needs. Plus I'm
born to teach and very much have the heart for it. Not bragging but
teaching is my one true gift. But I'm not going to sacrafice my golden
years all because the state of Texas won't take the time to get a
dictionary and see that the word WINDFALL means "unexpected good
fortune" Taking 6.4% out of my paycheck is not only insufficient but
also not a windfall!!!!
This whole issue really gets my blood boiling!

Well at least, American kids will be in competition with countries like
Japan, India, and China which means more freaking scientists to make
viagra and other useless drugs!!! Sorry, I just had too.

i havent read the all the comments here, but i think its
terrible..school days are long enough as it is...when do we see our
children? already, they get home from school..do homework, play a little
bit, do a chore or two, eat dinner, have baths, and its bedtime..only to
start all over again the next day..i think its crazy..

I agree I enjoy having my daughter around I love the summer when she
doesn't have to go..Some parent use school as a baby sitter not
interested in what there learning I know I on the pto at my daughter
school. We have pacticial beg for parent involvement...

Florida ran experiments with year round school in some areas, I don't
believe it's a good idea children need time to do things with families,
NO it's not a good idea and I believe anyone who thinks it is, is just
looking for someone to babysit their children for free. That's my
opinion. Relax and just think of all you may be missing, they are only a
child for a short time.

damn tammy I just read what ytou wrote lol sorry I don't have time to
read everyone's post but anhow if I posted the samething, then I must
agree.

Well seeing as I'm a youngin finishing high school up myself...

Going through school with just the seven hour day for 13 years was long
enough for me, school even got so hard for me in the past two years I
DID want to drop out, get a GED or something and go to my dad's country.

And not to burst anyone's bubble but my AP US History teacher last year
made us read about a study that says American students are ALREADY waaay
significantly behind all the other developed countries. Like...
seriously we're at the bottom of the list. From what I read we were like
24th against students from 25 of the top countries.
It's pretty sad, but I think we're already too behind in the run for
education.
But most Texas school districts have mandated a plan where all students
must now take all four years of high school Science and Math, or they
won't graduate. That starts next year.

Oh yeah and not to mention (for me) I do yearbook (I go in early at 8
everyday), drill team (I don't get out of practice until 630) during
football season, and try to stay on top of my social life, family, and
of course, homework, projects, applications, etc.


And to think.. families always wonder why their children go crazy, or
rebel during high school years!
Look at all the stress!
Hahaha.

I called the school board the other day and as far as FLA, that isnt
true..the hours are staying the same..im glad..

sweetklp yes it "was" true certain schools in Florida did this. It was a
past tense sentence. No they are not doing this anymore sorry if you did
not read it right.

half the time in mich. the schools are close becouse of the weather or
something.

There are time limits on classses for a reason. Peoples attention spans
bail after so long, and unless they are going to feed them another
meal..the kids are not going to benefit much from 2 extra hours except
to be starving