WCP | Ten D.C. Public Schools Will Get Extended Academic Years

What do you think of the plan to extend the school year for a select number of charter schools? Particularly as most of these charter schools are located in wards 7 and 8, could this have a positive effect on closing the achievement gap currently experienced by many east of the river schools?

Go HERE to read the full Washington City Paper article. 

Excerpt:

DCPS selected the ten schools based in part on "strong leadership, active interest by the community, and student bodies that demonstrate room for growth." The goal is to get students ready for high school, college, and beyond.

"Education isn't one-size-fits-all, and our current 180-day school year and 6 and 1/2 hour school day is not enough for all students, particularly in our highest-need schools," Democrats for Education Reform D.C. Director Catharine Bellinger said in a statement. "Students benefit when school leaders have both the resources and the flexibility to allocate more time to the classes and programs that help their students succeed."
Here are the schools that will be getting longer academic years starting this fall:

• Garfield Elementary School (Ward 8)

• H.D. Cooke Elementary School (Ward 1)

• Hart Middle School (Ward 8)

• Hendley Elementary School (Ward 8)

• Johnson Middle School (Ward 8)

• Kelly Miller Middle School (Ward 7)

• King Elementary School (Ward 8)

• Randle Highlands Elementary School (Ward 7)

• Thomas Elementary School (Ward 7)

• Turner Elementary School (Ward 8)