All-day school schedules

I think I’ll just go ahead and say this publicly:

This feels like an experiment where the actual goal is pretty vague—I’m assuming they’re looking at learning outcomes measured through test scores.
There’s zero clarity on what the control groups look like or how they’ll be selected, but honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if students in these pilot schools suddenly see their GPAs skyrocket, as much as they possibly can.🤣
It wouldn't shock me if we eventually see standardized national exams introduced, where those pilot schools get extra prep time during class while everyone else has to cram at home. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, unless "extra prep" turns into being handed the answers beforehand. The whole point of this experiment seems to be proving that this new curriculum is superior to our current system...
Which is all a bit ridiculous, especially since we'll be paying for the credit via taxes for years to come.

Sarah Hall53 said:Wait, did we just write the exact same thing? 🤣

Yep, I think we did! 🎉🎉
🙂

Sarah Hall53 said:The thing is, it won't just be a quick 40-minute session once a week—it’s going to be structured. They’ll mandate one day for math, one for English, and then split the remaining two days among the other subjects. Your math teacher isn't going to be sitting there helping them finish their geography or English homework, and the English teacher certainly won't be diving into math or physics problems during that time.
I see this heading in one of two directions: either after that 40-minute circus where the teacher is expected to somehow juggle grading homework while also trying to enrich the curriculum and provide extra support, kids will still end up with a mountain of stuff to study at home—or, we'll eventually be banned from assigning homework altogether. And then, by some strange miracle, everyone will act shocked when the average student hasn't actually mastered the material and isn't pulling those straight A's parents always dream about.

If there are kids who struggle to complete their Math, English, or Spanish homework on their own—and actually need someone to walk them through the concepts—then fine, I support that. But I highly doubt the same teacher is going to stop a student from pulling out a worksheet from a completely different subject to finish it during that time.
And will they still have homework? Of course they will. They'll still be writing essays and putting together PowerPoint presentations at home.
Will they still need private tutoring? Absolutely. Some kids need it to pass, others need it to maintain a 4.0 GPA.
Anything else would just be pure delusion.

No sane person actually thinks adding an extra hour of school every day is going to lighten the homework load for kids. I guess Fuchs is just being totally shameless by pushing that nonsense. It’ll probably just force them to sit in a classroom for an extra ninety minutes only to face the same mountain of work when they get home.

Susan James said:The population in cities has grown significantly, which naturally means more kids with great academic potential. You can't ignore the fact that most of them end up with four-year degrees after graduation, so they naturally expect the same for their own children.

As for trades, there is a massive demand for them right now.
We absolutely cannot function without them—electricians, plumbers, carpenters, masons... you name it. What good is sitting in a classroom all day, memorizing facts and staying stuck in a desk until they're exhausted? These kids need hands-on work, especially if they have family members already working in those fields.

There's this idea that we need to bridge the gap between rural areas and big cities by making everything identical, but that's total nonsense. They should have equal starting points in terms of literacy—things like speech therapy, preschool, and reading programs—but forcing rural kids to spend all day in school just because it's their only chance for socialization is pointless and could actually be detrimental.
What happens to these kids once they finish middle school? Is everyone supposed to rush to the city? To which urban schools would they even go?
Who is going to work the land or manage agriculture? When will kids learn how to plant a garden, care for animals, or make artisanal cheese? Is everyone really going to become an IT Expert with a huge salary while expecting food to just fall from the sky?

It breaks my heart that nobody talks about this publicly. So many families live happy, fulfilling lives working with their hands. There is no shame in that, and it isn't "lesser"—in fact, it’s incredibly vital for everyone.
Plus, so many kids learn directly from their parents and grandparents in those close-knit households.

I’m not quite sure how you're picturing rural life, but farming and agriculture aren't just left to people who stopped learning after middle school. In the US, about 95% of people under 25 have completed high school—so the vast majority end up heading toward the cities to attend urban high schools or colleges simply because most rural areas don't even offer those specialized secondary options.

Personally, I suspect these rural schools applied because they finally have the chance to fix up their facilities. They don't have any teachers looking to jump ship to the unemployment office, and since they're far from the hub in NYC, they can afford to be a bit more flexible. It's unlikely all the kids will be stuck in A2 every single day; it’ll probably stay much like the current setup with extra help sessions

At least I hope it's for the kids' sake ☕

Carl Bishop2 said:I’m not quite sure how you're picturing rural life, but farming and agriculture aren't just left to people who stopped learning after middle school. In the US, about 95% of people under 25 have completed high school—so the vast majority end up heading toward the cities to attend urban high schools or colleges simply because most rural areas don't even offer those specialized secondary options.

Sure, they go to schools in the city, but they still live back home in the country—unless, of course, they need to go to a school that's way too far away, in which case they end up staying in a dorm.

Kate Jackson4 said:Personally, I suspect these rural schools applied because they finally have the chance to fix up their facilities. They don't have any teachers looking to jump ship to the unemployment office, and since they're far from the hub in NYC, they can afford to be a bit more flexible. It's unlikely all the kids will be stuck in A2 every single day; it’ll probably stay much like the current setup with extra help sessions

At least I hope it's for the kids' sake ☕

Hmm. If there's organized transport coming in from the surrounding areas, then they'll just have to stay at the school for the tutoring sessions.

Sarah Hall53 said:Sure, they go to schools in the city, but they still live back home in the country—unless, of course, they need to go to a school that's way too far away, in which case they end up staying in a dorm.

Yeah, and your point is?
Monster was arguing that kids living in the countryside need full-day schooling because "what happens after elementary school? They'll just rush into the city—into which schools?" Well, sure, they already migrate to the city for high school, and honestly, that’s been the standard for decades now, and it works just fine.

Carol Johnson21 said:That sounds about right to me. Honestly, I'm just relieved I don't have middle schoolers under my wing anymore.
I have a friend who started a petition against CNN regarding one of those schools out in the Midwest. I won't even go into the kind of pushback she faced.
As if we need Fuchs lecturing us on hiding scalpels during class.
The house is on fire, and we're all just standing here watching it burn.

Also curious—what kind of trouble did she run into?
Some journalist needs to step up and ask what happens with parental consent. Did the Department of Education even think about that? Of course not. But what’s the actual fix for parents who refuse to sign off on their kids joining these nationwide school programs?

Eric Morgan54 said:Also curious—what kind of trouble did she run into?
Some journalist needs to step up and ask what happens with parental consent. Did the Department of Education even think about that? Of course not. But what’s the actual fix for parents who refuse to sign off on their kids joining these nationwide school programs?

The likely solution will probably just be transferring those kids to the nearest alternative school. And honestly, that isn't nearly as simple or feasible as it sounds—especially when you consider we're talking about kids going through puberty. We should probably keep that in mind...

mellowskipper said:The likely solution will probably just be transferring those kids to the nearest alternative school. And honestly, that isn't nearly as simple or feasible as it sounds—especially when you consider we're talking about kids going through puberty. We should probably keep that in mind...

Like there won't be any issues just because they're teenagers. No kid actually wants extra classes or mandatory tutoring sessions along with their entire grade level.

jadetinker85 said:Like there won't be any issues just because they're teenagers. No kid actually wants extra classes or mandatory tutoring sessions along with their entire grade level.

And just what kind of "extra subjects" do you imagine these teenagers are going to be burdened with?

hiddenseal14 said:And just what kind of "extra subjects" do you imagine these teenagers are going to be burdened with?

It’s basically just an elective designed to replace Religious Studies, plus an extra hour of English and Math. They'll offer a second language during the B2 term, but most kids will probably drop out just to get out of school earlier.

I’m not entirely certain—especially if we're talking about those schools out in the middle of nowhere where the next closest one might be a thirty-minute bus ride away
Just move the teenager over if the rest of the group is staying put...
What I mean is—it sounds a lot simpler than it actually would be to pull off in practice.

jadetinker85 said:It’s basically just an elective designed to replace Religious Studies, plus an extra hour of English and Math. They'll offer a second language during the B2 term, but most kids will probably drop out just to get out of school earlier.

Let’s get one thing straight: these extra hours aren't a brand-new subject.

The elective foreign language falls under the A1 tier and will be graded exactly as it has been in the past. The B2 level consists of extracurricular activities, where language learning can be handled by partnering with a private language institute based on student interest. That isn't an elective subject per se; it's merely optional content that doesn't carry any grade.

hiddenseal14 said:Let’s get one thing straight: these extra hours aren't a brand-new subject.

The elective foreign language falls under the A1 tier and will be graded exactly as it has been in the past. The B2 level consists of extracurricular activities, where language learning can be handled by partnering with a private language institute based on student interest. That isn't an elective subject per se; it's merely optional content that doesn't carry any grade.

The elective language is only mandatory for fifth graders, and it's only included in the core curriculum at Verizon for them. I don't see how adding an hour of history or math would suddenly make a second elective language part of the core curriculum for other grades.

jadetinker85 said:The elective language is only mandatory for fifth graders, and it's only included in the core curriculum at Verizon for them. I don't see how adding an hour of history or math would suddenly make a second elective language part of the core curriculum for other grades.

Everything about that is completely wrong.
It’s a requirement in the 4th grade. It's listed in the freshman curriculum simply because every single subject—whether mandatory or elective—is part of the freshman year, meaning it's all graded content.

And for heaven's sake, the B2 level consists of extracurricular materials.

How about we actually bother to read the official documentation before deciding whether we're for or against this?

hiddenseal14 said:Everything about that is completely wrong.
It’s a requirement in the 4th grade. It's listed in the freshman curriculum simply because every single subject—whether mandatory or elective—is part of the freshman year, meaning it's all graded content.

And for heaven's sake, the B2 level consists of extracurricular materials.

How about we actually bother to read the official documentation before deciding whether we're for or against this?

Alright, I just looked at a sample schedule. The second language is listed under A2.
https://postimg.cc/2bp89gdY