By Heather Shelton, Editor
After surveys indicated that Chicago Public School students spend the least time in the classroom of the ten largest US cities, the district decided to lengthen the current 6-hour school day by 90 minutes at several schools.
The goal of the longer school day is to provide the opportunity to spend more time on core academic subjects, work on literacy skills, broaden enrichment opportunities and provide students with individualized interventions to improve academic skills.
Many teachers would have to work more hours for the same pay, which has caused some controversy.
The Chicago Teacher Union had opinions on different ends of the spectrum; some said it was an insult and a “slap in the face”; others were in favor of longer days due to not previously having enough time in the classroom. There were also accusations of adminstrators pressuring teachers to vote in favor of the longer days.
On Nov. 3, CPS and CTU reached an agreement. CTU agreed to discontinue preventing schools in this year’s Longer School Day Pioneer Program from adding the additional 90 minutes, while CPS has complied with not adding more schools to the program in the current school year.
Erika Schlicter, Kaneland’s Director of Curriculum, is ambivalent on the longer school day being implemented in Chicago Public Schools.
“It depends on how the time is used. I think it has to do with how you use your time,” Schlicter said.
Junior Natasha Ring believes that the longer day will have a negative effect.
“I don’t think it’ll be a good impact, people might try to rebel,” Ring said.
Freshman Hannah Clarke, on the other hand, believes that it will be advantageous for schools.
“I think our teaching would be more progressive just because there’s more time to devote to each subject,” Clarke said.
Some CTU members are against the longer days because it would require teachers as well as students to spend more time in the classroom.
Currently there are no discussions amongst administration regarding longer school days at Kaneland, since days are already seven hours and CTS started at six.