Background
With middling student achievement scores and increasing focus on international comparisons of educational performance, the length of the school day and year have gained more traction in the past 30 years as possible strategies for improving educational outcomes in the United States. Since the introduction of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — considered the nation’s report card — in 1990, the nation has seen slight increases in reading proficiency rates for 4th and 8th grade students and moderate gains in math1. However, on international assessments, American students rank average at best2. This has led states, districts, and schools to experiment with extended learning time, lengthening school days and/or years.
Inconclusive Research
Impact of extended learning time is largely inconclusive. While multiple efforts have been undertaken across the country, no direct impact can be drawn between longer school days/years and improved student achievement, namely due to the absence of controlled studies3. Most extended learning time efforts incorporate strategies beyond additional instructional time to achieve results.
For example, in Massachusetts, as part of its Massachusetts 2020 effort, 22 schools signed on to the Expanded Learning Time Initiative, agreeing to provide 300 more instructional hours to students per year. While most schools saw student achievement on state assessments increase, the initiative found the most successful schools shared characteristics in addition to increased instructional time, namely relentless use of data, strategic addition of teacher collaboration time, and student engagement in high-quality enrichment programs4.
Comparing internationally, American students receive fewer instructional hours than many of their international peers, including those who perform better and worse on international assessments5. Analysis of instructional time and scores on international assessments found little or no relationship between increased time and improved scores6.
Cost Estimates
Adding additional time to the school day or year can be an expensive effort. Some estimate that a 10 percent increase in time requires a 6 to 7 percent increase in funding7. When Massachusetts increased school time by 30 percent, base funding increased by 20 percent8. In Washington State, lengthening the school year could cost between $32 million and $50 million per day9.
1 National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment for Educational Progress
2 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, Program for International Student Assessment
3 Aronson, J., Zimmerman, J., & Carlos, L. “Improving Student Achievement by Extending School: Is It Just a Matter of Time?” WestEd, 1998. < http://www.wested.org/cs/we/print/docs/we/timeandlearning/the_research.html>
4 Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative. ”More Time for Learning: Promising Practices and Lessons Learned.” Massachusetts 2020, 2010. < http://www.timeandlearning.org/Mass%202020%20Progress%20Report.pdf>
5 Silva, E. “On the Clock: Rethinking the Way Schools Use Time.” Education Sector, January 2007.
6 Ibid.
7 Ibid.
8 Ibid.
9 Griffith, M. “Cost Per-Day for Extended School Year.” Education Commission of the States, February 2008. < http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/77/67/7767.htm>
