The recession is starting to effect schools and school budgets. State Governments under the pressure of balancing their budgets have started cutting into school budgets layoff teachers, proposing to go to 4 day weeks (without regard to how it impacts working family schedules), changing bus schedules so that buses can do double runs, or starting school earlier or later (for the same reasons).
The Mississippi Senate has voted to give school districts the option of keeping children in class five fewer days for the next two academic years. This would take the academic year from 180 days to 175.
Where are the policy makers, business and media people who recommend that in order to make the United States more globally competitive, we need to extend the school year and extend the school day not shorten it? Why have they lost their voices?