OPS administrators say a longer school day will allow teachers to focus more on science, math, reading, and writing.
The OPS board voted 5-3 Monday on a proposal to add 25 minutes to the elementary school day, and 20 minutes to the middle and high school days, starting in August. Concerns were raised at Monday’s meeting that the decision was being made without enough input from teachers and parents.
Lisa Utterback, Executive Director of School Support, says the decision was ultimately made to benefit children. Utterback says teachers will have more time to finish lessons, or work with students who need additional help understanding the material.
Superintendent Mark Evans says the proposal was discussed during contract negotiations. He says OPS needed to act quickly to implement the longer school day in August.
“We had to start building the bus schedules. We had to start getting the building schedules, working with the teachers on the building schedules. All these things require a significant amount of time, whether it’s how to figure out how to run routes for 52,000 young people, or all those printed materials that have the schedules in them. And so it was kind of, the rush is, it’s probably either wait a year or do it now.”
Evans says the additional instructional time is also part of OPS’ strategic plan approved last year.