Dade County High School students head home at the end of the school day Monday, Mar. 9, 2015, in Trenton, Ga. The school day will be 15 minutes longer for these students starting next week. Snow days gave students a break from school this winter. But as standardized test time comes closer, school officials want to make up for lost time.
They’re adding minutes to the school day in Northwest Georgia. For example, starting Monday, Catoosa County Schools tacked on an extra 10 minutes to make up a portion of the seven snow days students have taken; school began five minutes earlier and ended five minutes later than usual.
Adding minutes could make a difference, said Joshua Goodman, a former high school math teacher who now studies education as an assistant professor in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School.
“Would they take the extra time seriously, or will it be ‘fake time?'” Goodman asked. “If they take it seriously, then it may well have some small benefit.”
Longer days
* Catoosa County Schools to add 10 minutes — five in morning, five at night * Walker County Schools to add 20 minutes at end of school day * Dade County Schools to add 15 minutes — five in morning, 10 at night Source: Respective school districts