by Michael Wille

With the CPS graduation rate hovering around 55%, you would think that teachers would be supportive of giving kids more time in the classroom.  After all, according to a new website started by CPS to promote the longer school day, 14 of 15 studies have confirmed positive results between lengthening time in the classroom and student achievement.  In fact, students most at risk for failure are those who have the most to gain by receiving more instruction beyond what they currently do.  Unfortunately, and perhaps not surprisingly, the Chicago Teachers Union has come out against this pilot program of reform, claiming that “a better school day” is needed over a longer school day. 

However, reality is winning over that rhetoric.  Over the past month, teachers at nine public schools in Chicago have voted to lengthen the school day by 90 minutes. In exchange for a lump sum payment to the school ($150,000 if the longer school day starts immediately and $75,000 if it begins in January) and bonus payments to the teachers, students will now receive more instruction time in the classroom.  In a system that has one of the shortest school days in the country, these institutions have started a trend that will hopefully put students on par with the rest of the nation.  In fact, an additional hour and a half in the classroom will only put students in the national average.  Measured against the 10 largest U.S. cities, Chicago ranks dead last in annual instructional time, for elementary and secondary students.  It is no wonder then that the graduation rate for Chicago Public School students hovers today around 55%, well below the national average of 72%.  

While this is not the only reform needed to improve one of the worst urban school districts, it is a necessary step in the right direction and will help spur additional changes in the future.  Mayor Emanuel and Jean Claude-Brizard have a monumental task in front of them – let’s hope that a longer school day is just the first of many changes implemented to improve the lives of Chicago children.