Obama's administration has renewed a call for more school hours, saying "Young people in other countries are going to school 25, 30 percent longer than our students here,"[Education Secretary Arne] Duncan told the AP. "I want to just level the playing field." The article states Obama says American kids spend too little time in school, putting them at a disadvantage with other students around the globe.
"Now, I know longer school days and school years are not wildly popular ideas," the president said earlier this year. "Not with Malia and Sasha, not in my family, and probably not in yours. But the challenges of a new century demand more time in the classroom."
I reported on this previously in April and had discussions about it with people in RL. I was appalled that none of them were the slightest concerned about it. Seems that people would prefer their kids spend additional time with their omni-benevolent nanny. But on this latest article the AP provides a bit more information. Seems that the Asian countries do attend school more days per year, but spend less time each year than we do. From the article: Kids in the U.S. spend more hours in school (1,146 instructional hours per year) than do kids in the Asian countries that persistently outscore the U.S. on math and science tests - Singapore (903), Taiwan (1,050), Japan (1,005) and Hong Kong (1,013). That is despite the fact that Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong have longer school years (190 to 201 days) than does the U.S. (180 days).
Perhaps Rep. Wilson would declare "You Lie" to Duncan and Obama on this. The facts show that 21 more days is only 11.67% longer in terms of days, but that in terms of hours the US has as many as 21.21% more contact hours. Sending our kids to the indoctrinators for more of the same is not going to help our kids be anything but more PC.
And if that wasn't enough, the costs are much higher. Extra time is not cheap. The Massachusetts program costs an extra $1,300 per student, or 12 percent to 15 percent more than regular per-student spending, said Jennifer Davis, a founder of the program. It received more than $17.5 million from the state Legislature last year. I dare say that the extra 12-15% is more than any States economy can bare right now. But no worries, Obama can just start providing bail outs to the States then. And then we can all start singing the latest school approved children's chorus "Joy to the world, Obama has come..."