All-day school schedules

Guys, don't hold your breath for CNN. As soon as a new Secretary takes over, everything just resets to zero. Where are they even going to find the budget to fix up schools? They can't even get Congress to fix the damn building.

Bryan Wells11 said:Every day. The weekly workload for students spikes drastically, both in core subjects and, unfortunately, with homeroom duties. These are ideas coming from people who haven't stepped foot in an American school system in years—if they ever have at all.

Honestly, these ideas come from people who don't seem to grasp basic human needs like freedom, downtime, or mental health.

This is never going to work. In most major US cities, at least 80% of elementary schools are already running on split shifts. The school in my neighborhood has over 900 kids and they’re barely managing with the current setup—how on earth do they plan to organize this? They’d need to build or expand hundreds of new schools just to make it happen.

Larry Walker24 said:Guys, don't hold your breath for CNN. As soon as a new Secretary takes over, everything just resets to zero. Where are they even going to find the budget to fix up schools? They can't even get Congress to fix the damn building.

I'd love to see them focus on finishing those school upgrades first—getting everyone onto a single shift, making sure classes aren't packed with more than 25 students, and ensuring PE actually happens in a proper gym instead of some cramped hallway...
And let's not forget about guaranteeing every kid a decent, hot meal and a proper place to sit down and eat it.

"Only" that 🤣 🤣 🤣

Bryan Wells11 said:Every day. The weekly workload for students spikes drastically, both in core subjects and, unfortunately, with homeroom duties. These are ideas coming from people who haven't stepped foot in an American school system in years—if they ever have at all.

I was reading recently about how kids in Norway tell their parents when asked what they did at school: "I played." Learning happens through play.
Meanwhile, our kids in elementary school are already being worn down by nothing but averages and grades.

jadetinker85 said:I was reading recently about how kids in Norway tell their parents when asked what they did at school: "I played." Learning happens through play.
Meanwhile, our kids in elementary school are already being worn down by nothing but averages and grades.

I’m not really buying into this whole "learning through gaming" craze. I guess some people find it useful, but personally, I'm just not a fan of that approach.
So, my little girl was attending this English language program where they actually focused on practical stuff—writing, speaking, homework and all that. Then that bandit went and completely trashed everything—he basically banned schools from using the local community center facilities. We ended up having to move her over to some other fancy private school just to keep her on track.
There wasn't much actual writing involved in that one—no formal assignments or anything like that. Instead, everything was driven through games, watching movies, and stuff like that.
Take a guess where she learned that.

I have a fourth grader at home, and honestly, I don't see much evidence that they're actually studying hard or even feeling particularly overwhelmed. Now, I’m not going to be a snob about it—I won't just assume it's because they're some kind of little genius.
An eighth grader definitely has more studying to get through—but I don't think it's ever been such an overwhelming load that they can't find time to hang out with friends.
There are definitely things within the school system that need to be overhauled—I mean, obviously—but I don't really see evidence that elementary school kids here in the States are being overloaded yet.

jadetinker85 said:I was reading recently about how kids in Norway tell their parents when asked what they did at school: "I played." Learning happens through play.
Meanwhile, our kids in elementary school are already being worn down by nothing but averages and grades.

You know, it wasn't always like this in our school system either; back in the day, those lower elementary grades didn't rely on rigid grading scales. Everything used to be based on descriptive feedback instead.

Just a rhetorical question here.
Is the selection process for those 50 schools joining the pilot program actually going to be transparent, or is this just another case of political favoritism? #weallknow

mistydrifter73 said:Just a rhetorical question here.
Is the selection process for those 50 schools joining the pilot program actually going to be transparent, or is this just another case of political favoritism? #weallknow

The schools have to apply themselves. Or so they say. Apparently, only those that already meet the infrastructure requirements can even qualify—meaning they need to be running single-shift classes and possess adequate labs, auditoriums, and all that gear. In the more densely populated neighborhoods of a city like Los Angeles or New York City, for instance, schools are absolutely slammed; it's not just about managing two or three shifts, there are even cases where two different schools are crammed into the same building. Residential developments are popping up everywhere like mushrooms after rain, yet the supporting facilities, including our schools, are stuck with 1980s-era infrastructure despite the massive population influx.

Meanwhile, in large parts of rural America, schools are shutting down entirely—especially the smaller local ones—simply because there aren't enough kids left to fill them.

mistydrifter73 said:Just a rhetorical question here.
Is the selection process for those 50 schools joining the pilot program actually going to be transparent, or is this just another case of political favoritism? #weallknow

And what happens if they don't get enough schools to sign up?

Scott Booth said:And what happens if they don't get enough schools to sign up?

I'm really crossing my fingers that they do.

Sarah Hall53 said:I'm really crossing my fingers that they do.

Wait, why? Are you against reforms backed by five-year studies? Or do you just prefer the "gut feeling" approach?

Just caught that symphony performance last night. Honestly? Pretty decent stuff. Reminded me of that one local orchestra I saw back in Chicago a few years ago. Good vibes. mistydrifter73 says:
They say schools are volunteering for this. Supposedly. But you can only sign up if you actually have the setup—meaning they already run single shifts and have the decent labs, gyms, and space to handle it. In the crowded parts of the city, like West Los Angeles or New York City, schools are absolutely slammed. It’s not just that some are running two or even three shifts; I’ve seen cases where two different schools are crammed into the exact same building. Apartment complexes are popping up everywhere like mushrooms after a rainstorm, but the support systems, especially the schools, are stuck with infrastructure from the 80s despite all the new people moving in.

On the flip side, schools all over the country are shutting down, especially the smaller ones in rural towns, just because there aren't enough kids left to fill the seats.

Yeah, schools apply on their own, but they need backing from the state government too, from what I can tell. Honestly, after some stuff I overheard in the teachers' lounge, I’m just worried this whole thing is going to be politically rigged.

The school where I teach is out in the middle of nowhere. They shut down one local school around here two years ago, and honestly, another one might be on its way out in a few years.

Scott Booth said:And what happens if they don't get enough schools to sign up?

That’s never gonna happen. Every principal has 300,000 reasons to report their own school.

Honestly, this whole twisted setup they've cooked up is just... wow. It's awful.
I am all for reforms that are actually backed by real research—you know, things that make sense—but I am definitely NOT for THIS mess they're trying to feed us.
First off, we’re going to see a massive exodus of teachers leaving the school system. Seriously, forget it. If this happens, I'm out. I'll go do literally anything else that offers a standard eight-hour workday where I don't have to bring my job home with me. Because right now, they're basically designing an eight-hour shift that secretly requires you to do endless prep work at your kitchen table.
The second thing that's going to happen is a huge surge in homeschooling lobbying. Once this absolute disaster is actually implemented, a ton of parents are just going to pull their kids out of the public schools entirely—because they simply refuse to let their children be stuck in that environment from age 8 to 16.

Has anyone actually sat down and read this document? Because I have, and frankly, I wouldn't wish this on myself or my own kid.

I suppose any director who actually has a legitimate grievance should probably head over to the Secretary's office to file a report. And, well—it goes without saying, really—those who have direct ties to the political party should be doing the exact same thing; that’s just what's expected of them, naturally.

Sarah Hall53 said:Honestly, this whole twisted setup they've cooked up is just... wow. It's awful.
I am all for reforms that are actually backed by real research—you know, things that make sense—but I am definitely NOT for THIS mess they're trying to feed us.
First off, we’re going to see a massive exodus of teachers leaving the school system. Seriously, forget it. If this happens, I'm out. I'll go do literally anything else that offers a standard eight-hour workday where I don't have to bring my job home with me. Because right now, they're basically designing an eight-hour shift that secretly requires you to do endless prep work at your kitchen table.
The second thing that's going to happen is a huge surge in homeschooling lobbying. Once this absolute disaster is actually implemented, a ton of parents are just going to pull their kids out of the public schools entirely—because they simply refuse to let their children be stuck in that environment from age 8 to 16.

Has anyone actually sat down and read this document? Because I have, and frankly, I wouldn't wish this on myself or my own kid.

It won't be easy for everyone to just pull their kids out, though. In most places, homeschooling is really only an option for families with a certain level of financial stability.
As for the all-day schedule—well, I'll keep my fingers crossed that your child doesn't end up being part of this "experimental" school phase. Usually, after these types of experiments run for four or five years, the system eventually settles into a more practical version.

If his name gets pulled into this whole experiment thing, we’re switching schools. Period. I'll just drive him over to the next district—or even two towns over if that's what it takes to get him away from it.

Sarah Hall53 said:If his name gets pulled into this whole experiment thing, we’re switching schools. Period. I'll just drive him over to the next district—or even two towns over if that's what it takes to get him away from it.

Honestly, you'd think the teachers and parents would be asking some hard questions too. It's common sense.

You’ve got those three teachers on the school board and that one parent representing the PTA.
If just ONE of them—for whatever shady little reason they might have—actually raises their hand to break the tie against those three founders who clearly only care about the bottom line... well, there you go. That's your "experiment."

Dana Smith2 said:I’m not really buying into this whole "learning through gaming" craze. I guess some people find it useful, but personally, I'm just not a fan of that approach.
So, my little girl was attending this English language program where they actually focused on practical stuff—writing, speaking, homework and all that. Then that bandit went and completely trashed everything—he basically banned schools from using the local community center facilities. We ended up having to move her over to some other fancy private school just to keep her on track.
There wasn't much actual writing involved in that one—no formal assignments or anything like that. Instead, everything was driven through games, watching movies, and stuff like that.
Take a guess where she learned that.

I have a fourth grader at home, and honestly, I don't see much evidence that they're actually studying hard or even feeling particularly overwhelmed. Now, I’m not going to be a snob about it—I won't just assume it's because they're some kind of little genius.
An eighth grader definitely has more studying to get through—but I don't think it's ever been such an overwhelming load that they can't find time to hang out with friends.
There are definitely things within the school system that need to be overhauled—I mean, obviously—but I don't really see evidence that elementary school kids here in the States are being overloaded yet.

Look, lifelong learning is great and should be encouraged, but you have to ask: is it more important for your kid to be happy, or is it okay to stress them out with grades while they're still in grade school? It feels like we don't pay enough attention to children's mental health here; it's honestly pretty overlooked.