NJ Spotlight published the following article on January 17, 2014. To read the full article, click here.
INTERACTIVE MAP: WHERE – AND HOW LONG – SCHOOL BELLS RING AROUND NJ
COLLEEN O’DEA | JANUARY 17, 2014
With details still lacking, it is unclear how Gov. Chris Christie’s State of the State call for lengthening the school day and year would affect the typical New Jersey student, who spends 7 hours and 6 minutes a day in school for 180 days.
There are currently 63 schools in the state in which students spend more time in the building – including classes, lunch and other non-instructional activities — than the typical adult’s full-time work day of eight hours, according to an analysis of the most recent School Performance Reports released by state education officials last spring.
Those reports, with information for the 2011-12 school year, show that students spend eight hours or more on instruction alone in five schools: the Dr. F. Napier Jr. School of Technology in Paterson; the Peoples Preparatory, TEAM Academy and Great Oaks charter schools, all in Newark; and Freedom Academy Charter School in Camden.
On the other hand, there are 26 schools, excluding preschools and shared-time vocational schools, reportedly in session for less than six hours, and 17 schools where students are getting five hours or less of instruction per day.
Christie on Tuesday called for lengthening the school day and year, saying the current school calendar is “antiquated.” But he still has provided no specifics about how he would do this or how much it would cost.