Colorado, along with Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Tennessee have been chosen to participate in the TIME Collaborative pilot program which will add at least 300 hours of learning time to the public school calendar starting in 2013. TIME, which stands for Time for Innovation Matters in Education, is a three-year pilot that will affect nearly 20,000 students and begin with 40 schools and hopefully expand – particularly to schools in low-income communities. 5,000 students and four districts in Colorado will be taking part; Boulder Valley Schools, Denver Public Schools, Adams 50 (Westminster), and Jefferson County.
The goal is to boost student achievement and make American schools more competitive globally. The program is funded by a mixture of state and federal funds and is also being sponsored by the Ford Foundation and National Center on Time and Learning. The Ford Foundation has committed three million dollars over three years and Colorado is receiving $900,000 from the National Center. Schools will work with districts and parents to determine how to add the extra time; to the school day, extending the school year, or both. The Colorado Legacy Foundation will work with the Department of Education and the four districts to implement the program.
Proponents believe that more classroom time will give students the opportunity to have a more well-rounded curriculum that includes arts and music, as well as more math and science. The extended hours will also provide more individualized time for students who may fall behind. This is all in hope of better preparing children to be more successful in the future. An additional benefit is student safety. There are multiple dangers students face in the hours between the end of the school day and when working parents return home, especially in low-income or inner-city neighborhoods. Therefore, keeping students in the classroom longer may ultimately keep them safer.
Extending classroom time may face a challenge from teachers unions, as it did during the Chicago Teachers Union strike earlier this year. Mayor Rahm Emanuel was able to win that battle and extend the school day, but had to concede other issues to the union. Other critics argue that longer school days are not the answer to America’s education problems. It is hard to argue against providing more learning opportunities for students, however. Hopefully the TIME Collaborative pilot will provide more information as we see how the different schools across the five states implement the program and how it impacts student achievement.
Proponents believe that more classroom time will give students the opportunity to have a more well-rounded curriculum that includes arts and music, as well as more math and science. The extended hours will also provide more individualized time for students who may fall behind. This is all in hope of better preparing children to be more successful in the future. An additional benefit is student safety. There are multiple dangers students face in the hours between the end of the school day and when working parents return home, especially in low-income or inner-city neighborhoods. Therefore, keeping students in the classroom longer may ultimately keep them safer.
Extending classroom time may face a challenge from teachers unions, as it did during the Chicago Teachers Union strike earlier this year. Mayor Rahm Emanuel was able to win that battle and extend the school day, but had to concede other issues to the union. Other critics argue that longer school days are not the answer to America’s education problems. It is hard to argue against providing more learning opportunities for students, however. Hopefully the TIME Collaborative pilot will provide more information as we see how the different schools across the five states implement the program and how it impacts student achievement.
RSS Feed