Yeah! You should have seen him at my Dad's WWII Navy Reunion. The old salts love him, and he learned more from them than weeks reading a history book!

Holy Snap! What a deal!!! ... Wow! I would have loved that! Still, to be honest, I fear that continuity and overall progress would suffer in many of the children. With the summer break, kids do lose some ground and parents need to keep kids reading. Not all do. However, there are summer programs at most of the schools around here and many of those kids who are not at grade level are involved and learning during the summer months. Parents of those students are counseled and asked to have their children participate and most folks do. Not all, but most of those whose children need the extra work will comply. For the parents, it is an easy way to get kids help without their having much of an investment...in fact, for some it is most helpful because it saves them money on daycare expense. From your enthusiasm, I feel sure that your grandson's school schedule works very well for him and also for others. Even so,I feel sure, that your grandson is well supervised and receives great support at home. It would take some real effort bridge those gaps, but I don't doubt that his folks help him do that. I have heard that it is hard to get kids back on track after Christmas vacation. Some kids, unfortunately, just don't do well without continuity! For many, I think that schedule would be a disadvantage. About the time the teacher had them on a roll....break time! Very interesting though. Thanks for sharing. p.s. One thing seems universal, kids are anxious for school to be out and so excited to get back to school at summer's end. And that is a good thing!

summmer? Oh my gosh, guess I need to go to school with the grandson.

My grandson who attends year-round school can't wait to get back-August 1. They do not attend more days than other schools, just distributed differently. Their schedule is more in line with European countries. He has three (3) breaks--Fall, Winter and Spring that are 3 weeks each. Then, they are out of school approx 6 weeks in the summmer. The advantages are: 1) Less time off lowers the amount forgotten that has to be relearned at the beginning of the school year. 2) Staggered breaks throughout allow the families to choose when to take their family vacations. Grandson has been able to attend special functions that are held in the fall and winter that he couldn't with a traditional school schedule. 3)His daycare workers told me (because I asked) that the students in his school had fewer problems at day care because they have a more structured schedule.

S, Durant! This one is calling your name!!! Where are you? I really want your ideas on this. You have sound opinions when it comes to education issues.

The impact this will have on children who must ride the bus should not be overlooked. Some bus routes are fairly long. It seems already restless and tired children will become even more so and settling down to homework won't come easy. Children perform better in the mornings. Children perform better when they have satisfied hunger. Children perform better when they have adequate sleep. Children also need exercise. Children need family time.

Stan, I disagree. Many schools have alternative plans. For example, in Norman, students can enroll in the standard schedule or an extended on which would equal the plan proposed. That might be a viable solution for other school districts in lieu of the proposed mandatory plan. There are many students who must work as well as attend school. The expense of school is costly....even with the benefit of public education. These kids are already weary and being in school longer does nothing to assist them with gaining more knowledge. It does nothing positive in increasing one needed aspect of the longer day...i.e., it cannot increase, but rather might actually decrease, student's attention spans. You add in homework and you don't leave much time for quality time anywhere after the bell. Don't set them up for "burnout." The same goes for teachers. Provide alternatives and even choices, if you will. However, don't set a long day for those who are already "taxed to the max" physically and mentally. As for the very young ones, they need some down time, too, and time not engaged in school activity. Consider college education. There students might only attend but a few classes per day and on some days, it is sometimes possible students may not even have class. It doesn't stop them from learning!! It helps them manage their caseload. In fact, college students have much more liberty and free time. If they don't use it well, they learn that is a costly choice. Hopefully, they learn to be responsible. It seems to me that it would be helpful for kids to begin to learn how to use free time as learning time while still in their family homes. Liberty can be a heady experience. Especially, if you have been previously confined. Keeping kids in school longer to prevent them from using the Xbox, etc., seems akin to a type of confinement...loss of liberty, so to speak. They need to learn organizational skills and to manage their free time wisely in addition to sitting at a desk in a confined, classroom environment. Turning them loose in college sometimes is a very heady experience. So give them some slack while their parents still have the opportunity to supervise. I doubt extending the school day length will do little to increase knowledge or learning. it has some potential to actually impair that. Fatigue plays a role in learning ability. Attention spans wane after so much time haa elapsed. I acknowledge that the PASS objectives plus the red tape and all kinds of other "stuff" make it hard for teachers and students to ensure adequate time is there for the introduction and mastery of the mandated learning objectives. However, I believe it is more likely that the mandates are out of balance than it is that students need to be in school longer. Same thing goes for the school year. Kids and teachers alike need some down time. Allow that time for professtional renewal and growth. Students need play time....Still, that should come along with parents insisting on some reading time, etc. during summer months. Teachers need some time for "regrouping"..for updating techniques and new approaches, for continuing education, for reorganizing educational materials, for attending workshops and conferences...ones that help teachers fine ways to stimulate and motivate learning. "Great Expectations" is one example of that kind of thing. Those kinds of things will reap results during the next school year. Don't assume that because some kids are watching the Xbox, all kids need to be confined to the classroom. Many are not watching TV or playing video games. Please don't penalize those who are not because some kids do. True, ag is not so prevalent now. Children may not be helping with the harvest, but by the time they hit high school, it is likely they are using summertime to earn money...some kids even begin saving some funds for college. Let children be children. Childhood, too, shall pass. Adulthood will come soon enough. Allow children the opportunity to pace learning and to grow. There is more to learning than can be done in the confines of a mere classroom environment. Teachers are doing a better job that most folks seem to think and in the time allotted. If push comes to shove, add the one hour, but leave summer vacation alone. The cost of air conditioning alone could be prohibitive during summer months. Students and teachers alike need that break. Allow them some liberty. All work and no play makes Jack/Jill a dull boy/girl.

Not only is Sandy's idea a great idea but making school year round with staggered starting dates would be even better. Cutting back on the length of breaks would help also. More time in the classroom learning is great for the kids. It will be of more value in the future than getting home to play X-box an hour earlier. With year round school who could deny the teachers a well deserved and healthy raise.

Everybody have a great weekend. Let's put this one to rest by agreeing that our education system needs ALL our help! Thanks C for the kind words. I think all parents need encouragement, and you certainly give it.

You are very welcome, Jennifer. I am quite sincere when I tell you that your positive attributes shine brightly through your words. Your daughter is very fortunate to have a mom like you! So are the kids for whom you so often go "to bat." (Hmmm..bat? maybe not a good choice of words in this instance, but, hopefully, you get the drift!) Thank you for your friendship. I do appreciate it!

C~ Thank you! You are so inspirational and encouraging! I value you and our friendship. Thank you again for being so kind. : )Have a great weekend.

Good job, Deann!

BTW, I have spent many hours with my sleeves rolled up, in the classroom, as a parent sponsor, doing whatever the teachers and administration asked of me. My statements in this post are as a direct result of those hours, and my conversations with the GOOD teachers and administrators (active and retired) with whom I have a good relationship.

Report from one of my favorite teachers, pre-kindergarten. "It takes so much time to fill out the paperwork for 'No Child Left Behind' that I have little time to prepare my lessons." She reported she had hundreds of pages of reports for 'No Child Left Behind' each semester. The best classroom teacher I know was fired from her first position as principal, for asking the teachers to perform as she had. The teachers went to the school board and complained that she was expecting too much of them. She went on to another school and excelled as principal, is retiring this year to go to work for the GREAT EXPECTATIONS group. PASS has extremely high standards. But, in addition to PASS, teachers are expected to 'teach to test' so that their students and school don't get bad scores for the 'No Child Left Behind' program. Many teachers complain that they are as tired as the students from this constant drilling. OVERHAUL THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, look at where we are and where we need to be.

S,Durant...This would be a good time to share your excellent insight.

It would be kind of a neat experiment if each of us could spend a week OR MORE in the classroom to get a handle on what we are talking about. It is so easy to talk, maybe not so easy to teach. Great to be "Monday morning quarterbacks," so to speak. But what if we had to roll up our sleeves and take the helm. Even if teachers were on the panel that set up the PASS objectives, it seems acceptable to question whether or not these goals are realistic ones and if there is adequate time given all the added duties and responsibilities that enter in. I hear so many folks talking about excessive homework. PASS enters in to that. I don't doubt that most teachers begin the day well prepared and are successful at keeping their students "on task." It may not be the fifties, but even today mastery of the basics lays a foundation which enables the addition of higher learning . Someone talked of students needing to learn how to problem solve and to think. I believe this is addressed in the classrooms of today, but how much more it could be emphasized if some of the PASS objectives were realigned into other, more appropriate, grade levels. It is not that I do not believe kids are sharp and capable of learning this material. It is that I believe that there is too much material for them to master in a meaningful and lasting way. Higher order thinking skills is an area which I feel the department of education needs to more fully address. You take the basics and you add that ingredient and students should be able to "take off" as new subject matter is introduced as their grade level advances from year to year. We don't want to escalate teacher burnout or student burnout!

Off topic: A quick note to Jennifer/Mustand..Deann/Crescent..there is no doubt in my mind that none of the ills discussed here about single parenting apply to either of you. From your so many of your previous posts, I have been able to discern what great parents you are. I feel that it obvious that you are doing/have done super jobs as a parent...your kids are so fortunate. Not all kids are. (Jennifer, you make a difference in many of their lives, as well, with your volunteer workin CASA. Not sure what Deann's volunteer involvement is..but I feel sure Deann is making a positive difference in the lives of others, too.) The problems discussed exist, but there are obvious differences between single parents. You surely know of the types who fail to measure up as parents. ( via CASA kids).and that would be the case even if they didn't work and stayed home with their kids all day long. I am sure the same goes for many of you who are reading this. Though the problem is real, it is not universal with single parenting. I hope I made that belief, which I certainly do hold, clear. If not, I want to do that with this post. I have been continually impressed by the devotion and the commmitment you have for your daughter, Jennifer. It is obvious that she lacks nothing when it comes to attention and love and good care. I feel that you did those same good things for your children, Deann. I have no doubt that your kids will not/did not suffer from your having to work. Congratulations on being super moms!

Good one, Montgomery! Unfortunately, we see so many of these grammatical errors today that we no longer even notice.

Would an extra hour of education have taught the Oklahoman that there is not a comma needed between "Garrett" and "has"?

Thank you Brad. Communication is KEY! An extra hour is not going to accomplish anything except irritaion. Better curriculum and involvment from EVERYONE is what is going to help, in my opinion. Okay, I'm done with this topic. : )

How did that post twice?

Besides, the school day is just the tip of the iceberg of issues. What really will help is what all of us have been doing about this article--COMMUNICATION.+

Besides, the school day is just the tip of the iceberg of issues. What really will help is what all of us have been doing about this article--COMMUNICATION.+

Jennifer, I was merely stating a fact not an opinion. Unfairly and sometimes unjustly students are labeled "at-risk" based on several factors. Of those, low-income and single-parent families are a couple of the determining factors associated with the labeling of a child "at-risk". Many single mothers as do single fathers do an awesome job of rearing their children under such adverse conditions. However we need to admit there are those who need assistance and not ignore the facts by merely throwing an extra hour into a school day and claim we have "dealt" with our problems. It has taken too long to create the problems we are faced with, and it will take more than an extra hour a day to fix them.

whre=where

Deann...I told my little one about Holy Snap the other day because I accidently said "Holy Snap" after dropping something! lol She of-course wanted to know whre mommy got the new word from...... : )

P.S. Brad/Miami this is what i disagreed with BTW....incase you were wondering what I meant by my comment. "Deann, unfortunately our parents are being faced with very adverse economic issues just to make it in today's world. Can you believe 90895 of our children are being raised by a single mother's annual income of $16,657?! And we wonder why we have so many "at-risk" children? When you really start looking into our problems at school, we begin realizing how difficult it really is to educate such diversity under adversity. A true test of character is how we continue to respond to this adversity."

Well, I came out in favor of another hour; mainly because we attended school from 8-4 "back in the day" and it worked alright. But, Erica, Lexington brought up a very important thing--transportation for rural school districts. I certainly don't want her children (or anybody else's) to be on the bus that long. I think that has more to do with funding and buses, but it must still be considered. I did post earlier, and I believe very much, that if the school day is lengthened, then the amount of homework must be lessened. I understand most of the concerns here, but I haven't seen anything about the fact that Oklahoma is lagging other states in BOTH the number of school days and the length of school days. Grandson (Holy Snap) is preparing to go back to school August 1 (year-round OKC public school). He is excited and ready to get back into the groove! Brad/Miami, I appreciate your information very much! Finally, remember the old saying, "If you want something done, ask somebody who is already busy"? Well, that applies to parents as well. Most of the involved parents I know have full-time jobs, yet still find time to volunteer at their child's school, haul kids to games and practices, etc. As a matter of fact, I spend over 10 hours a week volunteering, after a 40 hour work week and 10 hours weekly commuting. AND, I still have time to play with the grandkids!

Thanks for the info. Brad/Miami.....Although, it's not true for every situation. I'm a single mom raising my child and your facts do not apply to me and I do not agree with Ms. Sandy Garrett AT ALL!Nonetheless, good work on backing your comments!Sandy Garrett, Brad Henry & Legislators, I pray you do not pass this hour a day longer proposal, for it would not be in the best interest of all concerned!

Here an answer to your question about PASS, Deann. The Oklahoma PASS Standards are educational law. They were by teachers, for teachers as requested by our government. Instead of having legislators writing the rules, our teachers wrote these standards for our kids with their well-being in mind. You may find the PASS skills complicated, but can you imagine what could have been written by the legislators who aren't in the classrooms everyday?

I am glad several of you found the research very informative and possibly thought provoking. Too often we as adults are too busy to delve deeper into a situation and we just take it at face value. I agree with you too, Deann in Durant. One of the huge factors looming in our children's live is both parents working. As of 2005, Oklahoma has a 16.5% poverty rate. An increase from 14.7% in the 2000 Census. Here are some numbers that will make you cry which should be made more public than they have been. Everything I am about to share comes from the Kids Count Factbook 2003 by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy. Oklahoma ranks number two in the nation in a surprising category. An alarming 58.5% of grandparents living with their grandkids are responsible for raising that grandchild. (Wyoming has us beat at 58.6%.) A majority 52.4% of families in Oklahoma have no children living in their homes. Children do best when they live in families that earn enough to meet their needs. With half of Oklahoma’s families with children living above the median and half living below it, median annual income measures the economic security of children by looking at the family wage earner’s ability to earn a decent living. Oklahoma’s median annual income of $38,579 for families with children is almost ten thousand dollars below the median income for the United States ($48,196), placing Oklahoma near the bottom (45th) of the national rankings. Children living with a single parent do not fare well economically. Median family income for a male-headed single parent family with children is almost half ($24,745) that for a married couple family with children ($47,652). If the single parent family with children is headed by a female, the median family income plummets to only $16,657 each year. Half of Oklahoma’s children will spend some part of their childhood living with a single parent. Matching the rate for the United States as a whole (27.1%), more than one in four (119,914, or 27.1%) Oklahoma families with children are headed by a single parent, placing Oklahoma near the middle (30th) of all states in its share of families in which children live with only one parent. While the large majority (72.9%) of Oklahoma families with children live with two parents, more than three-quarters (75.8%) of Oklahoma’s single parent households with children are headed by females. So I agree very much with you Deann, unfortunately our parents are being faced with very adverse economic issues just to make it in today's world. Can you believe 90895 of our children are being raised by a single mother's annual income of $16,657?! And we wonder why we have so many "at-risk" children? When you really start looking into our problems at school, we begin realizing how difficult it really is to educate such diversity under adversity. A true test of character is how we continue to respond to this adversity.

No.......School DOES NOT NEED TO BE EXTENDED 1 MORE HOUR! COME ON OKLAHOMA TEACHERS! Get it together! If you can't put your curriculum together and prepare your class better than that and have your study time done with the hours provided, perhaps, it is time to look for a better fit. Obviously, this is not right for you or your current district.By time I get home with my child we barely have enough time to actually enjoy each other, eat, watch some t.v., read, do extra-curricular activities, etc. anyway. 1 MORE HOUR TO THE SCHOOL DAY- NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, the worst-behaving students in my children's school had one very important thing in common: a stay at home mom. Please stop beating up working parents.

I asked my daughter about this and this was her reply: "Will I still have time to play my x-box?" LOL : )

Really great ideas here. C-Paoli, my understanding is the PASS mandates are part of the No Child Left Behind federal mandate. If I am wrong I hope somebody will correct me. I have previously stated I think No Child Left Behind should be repealed. From my teacher friends, I understand that ALL students are suffering from this. My children and I were priviledged to have some of the finest teachers ever. Those very teachers will say that the bad teachers in their midst made their job difficult. I'm sure most teachers would agree with that statement. That is the reason for my strong feelings about tenure and merit pay. My final statement is this: We do not live in the 1950s anymore. It is not possible to turn back time. I think it is imperitive to start looking for solutions to today's problems within society as it exists today. I raised two wonderful, well-adjusted children; who have higher degrees and are contributing members of society. I managed to do that while working full-time, raising them by myself. They had to be latch-key kids, but they were GOOD kids. They were because I was involved. I attended every parent-teacher conference, I attended every ball game, every band concert, EVERYTHING. Yes, it was hard, but I did it! And, because of the encouragement they received from me, they are doing the same with their children. Don't blame everything on the parents. Don't blame everything on the teachers. But, PLEASE, start looking at the U.S. and Oklahoma as it is today. And, start offering solutions based on that reality.

Having been rushed,I probably should have waited to make that long post. After I posted it, I noted some very faulty sentence constructions. Maybe I should take the first grade over??!!!!

Apologies! I did NOT intend to bold that text. When placing my page break, I inadvertently left off the r and the result was a command for "bold" text. I don't like that. I regret it.

S,Durant..where are you??!! This forum needs your input. I would love to hear your thoughts on this one. Brad, Miami..I commend you for your research, your insight and your taking the time to share it!! Your contribution to this forum is important. Valuable information! I agree with what you have said! Even though parents must work, it is important that they and society understand what the toll for having to do that can be. That knowledge should help working parents understand and watch for some of the probably symptoms so that they can seek to find ways to counter some of the problems. Not an easy task! But ever so important! Bill Wallace is a super resource and a friend to education and to children! (and their parents!) Erica, Lexington..thank you for understanding that children are "hurried" these days in ways that counter well being. School is like "work" for children. How long can we expect their attention spans to stay engaged at the end of a long day? Many adults are anxious for the "clock" to wind down that last hour. Seems kids might be anxious for the bell. Being tired can be a very big distraction from learning. Deann,Crescent..It is most unfortunate that your experience and your children's educational experience has been so negative. It happens, I'm sure. I realize teaching is a high stress job. There can be "burnout." I understand that. I've seen burnout in the work place. It seems to me that it would be more likely in the school environment. The very things we have discussed...such as Brad pointed out...contribute to the stressful situation that teachers may encounter on a daily basis. They have to deal with the fruits of a society in which children are too often left, more or less, on their own. Thankfully, that is not universal. There are the involved, caring, supportive parents. I don't want to see the day lengthened. I truly don't feel it is best for the child. Having said that, I would also have to say that it would be better than having them home alone. Even so, schools should not replace homes and families. Public education's purpose was not to "rear" children, nor should it become so. Before I stop posting here, I want to urge every parent to make sure they understand the State Department of Education mandates placed upon teachers and students in regard to student mastery. Have you seen the PASS learning objectives each school year for the various classes? Mind boggling! I am glad that my school workload was not so diverse and intense. The building blocks of basic served me quite well and I wasn't overwhelmed and I doubt my teachers were either. In fact, every citizen should be aware of the mandated course work for each grade.Enlightening! I have to think that adding another year to the educational system before high school graduation might be an answer to improving our educational system. Not a popular idea! However, give them the basics and let them build on that later. There exists a knowledge explosion. However, if we are to face reality, maybe we should acknowledge that increased information of which a student should be exposed might also mean increased years spent in learning and mastery before moving on to the college level. That might do away with remedial problems at some universities, as well. As for the school day lengthening, I don't like the idea. However, one teacher told me that while the longer day would be tiring, she felt she needed it because there was too much to cover adequately in the time allowed. She wanted the extra time for classroom instruction..even though it will make her day at school long...her evening short. Then there is grading. NEED I REMIND ANYONE THAT HOMEWORK WHICH SEEMS TO BE AN OVERLOAD FOR THE CHILDREN, MUST BE GRADED BY THE TEACHER? That takes time...multiply your child's work times the number of students. When do you think teacher's do this? (Another thought: While considering this issue, we might need to remember that teachers and kids take very, very short lunch breaks. Usually the teacher is right there with those kids when they eat..yes, supervising them. Glad that when you take your lunch break from work and maybe a coffee break, that time is yours..you are not on the clock and are not tending to a part of your job?) Too much material and instructional caseload to present and master in the time allowed? After reviewing the PASS (mandatory learning objectives) that teachers and students face each year, I can believe that! I recall something from another post...maybe it was Brad's in which the engaged time was discussed. People, this isn't the teacher's fault! It isn't the student's fault. http://www.sde.state.ok.us/home/defaultie.html Above I have pasted the link for the PASS mandates to use if you wish to review them. Hmmmm...mmmmm..I wonder if I would have passed first grade? So much material presented so soon. I am sure that we didn't have to worry about all that when we were in the first grade and mastering reading. The "hurried child," indeed! Finally, Deann, I hope that someday you are able to discover the many positive, wonderful, dedicated teachers who teach because they want to make a positive difference... The teachers' who teach because they find their reward in seeing children discover knowledge...the teachers who seek to inspire and motivate their students to have a desire for learning and to believe in themselves ...oh, so much more. I don't have the time to express it well or adequately. Those teachers do exist. They overcome the obstacles that society has dealt them ..but it becomes more difficult when parents fail to give support to their kids and do not teach their kids to respect the classroom, the teacher, and others. ENOUGH FROM ME! Respectfully,

Sandy garrett ---- I wonder if thoughts of pay raises are floating through her head

In my mind Sandy has a wonderful idea. A seven hour day is great.

Brad-Miami. You have some interesting thoughts. I think, though, that you are ignoring a huge, glaring fact. That is, most parents ARE working parents because the income is needed to support their families. Would I have preferred to be home when my children got home from school? Absolutely. Was that possible? Not if I wanted to put food on the table. I absolutely agree that many parents fall short of the ideal. They are not as connected and involved as they should be. We cannot fix that. So, in order for ALL Oklahoma students to be afforded the best education possible, we need to deal with reality. I am very happy for those who have written here and have not experienced BAD teachers. That certainly isn't true in many schools in many communities. When you walk into an elementary school and can hear a teacher screaming at the students, that's a bad thing. That teacher was tenured, and continued to teach in that school and others for many years. But, even beyond that, what I see most is apathy. The GREAT student-teachers get pulled down when they start teaching by those very teachers who shouldn't be in the school at all. After listening to them gripe and complain for a while, the very best new teachers will finally lose their drive. This is my experience through my own school years and my children's.

No I would not. Last school year my kids had to get up at 6am to catch the bus at 640am then they didn't get to school until 740am and they got out of school at 3pm but didn't make it home until after 4pm. Their bedtime is 8pm. Some nights there wasn't enough time to do homework, eat and get their baths in before bed. So they would go to school the next day with incomplete homework. If they had to stay in school a hour longer they really wouldn;t get anything done and we wouldn't have any family time.

I decided to find research concerning extra time in a school day and extra days in a school year to better educate all interested parties. According to over 30 years of research the definition of time needs to be looked at in three respects. Allocated time being the length of school day/year, engaged time in which students are participating in learning activities, and academic learning time when a student's readiness to learn precisely coincides with a learning activity. The basic findings were: 1)There is little or no relationship between allocated time and student achievement. 2)There is some relationship between engaged time and achievement. 3)There is a larger relationship between academic learning time and achievement. Reviewing the research on literature on how time is divided up in the school day shows that a large portion of potential learning time is typically eaten up by non-instructional activities. That is just the day, not the classroom time. Within the classroom, potential learning time is further eroded by such factors as student absence, student inattention, disciplinary activities, inappropriate curriculum, ineffective instructional techniques, and inefficient classroom management. One study calculated only 38% of the school day was devoted to "engaged time". As for comparing ourselves to other nations, four of the seven nations who outperformed the U.S. in fourth grade mathematics spent less time in class each week than U.S. students. Japanese students spend large amounts of time outside of school doing homework and receiving tutoring. All of the research suggested the first step is to improve the quality of existing time. As far as the money needed to fund any of Sandy Garrett's ideas, it would cost a mere $1.1 billion dollars a day to fund this type of initiative nationally. Only a mere $22 million a day for Oklahoma. The Institute for Research on Educational Finance and Governance found of the four variables--time, peer-tutoring, class size reduction, & computer assisted instruction that increasing time was the least cost-effective of the four interventions. Much, much, more interesting things did I find, but before Sandy goes any further with this idea she should do a little studying of her own. The Oregon Legislature was one of the first states to pioneer Sandy's ideas back in 1991 by adopting the Education Act for the 21st Century. In 1995, (before their first big jump into lengthening the school year it takes time to implement these things), the Oregon Legislature had to repeal that provision of their touted act because the state simply couldn't afford to implement it. We've already had enough issues with Oregon in our state, why follow their lead in education?

My comment isn't to argue anybody else's input, but to try and shed a light in a different direction than Sandy Garrett seems to shed. It's disappointing to feel like adding an hour a day to the school day would solve our children's issues. (I have failed to see any credible research backing this issue being championed by Sandy Garrett, but I am still looking into it.) In fact, what our children really need are more quality affordable after school activities and parental involvement. For those who care to read some numbers commissioned by the Wallace Foundation titled, "All Work and No Play" will give just a glimpse of a very complicated issue parents and children must deal with today. About 30% of students are home alone at least three days in a typical school week. About 16% of students are home alone three to four days in a typical school week. About 13% of students are home alone five days in a typical school week. Children who care for themselves 11 hours or more per week are twice as likely to consume alcohol, smoke cigarettes, and use marijuana as are children who are supervised. A whopping 89% of youngsters agreed with the statement,"Even though I might complain about it, sometimes I need to be pushed by my parents to do things that are good for me." Even 77% of the students said they get into trouble when they get bored. Our children are begging for quality time with their parents, families, and friends. Unfortunately, in the majority of Oklahoma communities you will not find anything for the youngsters to do to stay out of trouble when unsupervised. Yes you will find an abundance of things in cities like OKC, Tulsa, & Enid, but what about the smaller towns which are the majority of our state? How many problems could be solved in our schools if parents spent more time with their children on a daily basis? Regardless of race, religion, or wealth we all have the same 24 hours a day to invest. How are you investing yours in your children? Evidently somebody isn't, the kids have said so. Prevention through parenting sure is a better cure than "quarantine" for an extra hour a day. Wouldn't you rather spend that "extra hour" with your kids?

Thanks, Chris! I'm glad it had nothing to do with what I said. BTW: Many that I know don't belong to OEA. That may be a good thing! There is that pressure about the testing and teachers don't like it either. That's why sometimes it seems those at the top who mandate this kind of thing should be held accountable, not the teachers. Some students just don't test well, BTW. It puts too much pressure on everyone and our educational system needs to rethink this one. Again, thanks,Chris!

C in Paoli, please know that my comments weren't directed toward you. The comments about teachers being over-worked, underpaid and having to buy their own supplies comes straight from every press release OEA has ever issued. My point is that those statements apply to almost anyone. I am not against teachers. Those I've known personally -- during my school years and those of my children -- have uniformly been decent people who worked their tails off to do a good job. But there is a problem when my 13-year-old daughter recognizes that schools are spending the largest portion of their time teaching those things on the standardized tests, leaving little time left for the basic knowledge they need to make sense of the meatier matters.

Funny how a lot of teachers trained in Oklahoma go to Texas or other states because the salaries are better . . . Think this might have something to do with the quality of education?

I agree with Sandy Garrett, school days should be longer, especially in Pre-K or Kindergarten. The kids barely arive , take off their coats, and sit down and then it is time to get up put on their coats and go home. It would also be more convienient for working families if the children and parents had similar hours. I truly belive that children can gain so much from a quaility education. Why not do everything we can to provide one for them.

I agree with Sandy Garrett, school days should be longer, especially in Pre-K or Kindergarten. The kids barely arive , take off their coats, and sit down and then it is time to get up put on their coats and go home. It would also be more convienient for working families if the children and parents had similar hours. I truly belive that children can gain so much from a quaility education. Why not do everything we can to provide one for them.

Yes, I think it would be better for our kids to have longer days at school cause the time that they have out right now,all year through, is more than we had when I was growing up! Growing up in a military family and moving anywhere from Great Lakes,Ill. to Ca.( several bases),we didn't get as much time off as the kids now do and so they're not learning as much as we did each school year! We went to school during snowy days in Ill. unless we were snowed into our home(litterally,we were). As for "snow days"? What is this? If there are no days used for being snowed in,why do they still let them take and use them? There were no such things as "zone days" and parent/teacher conference days happened only BEFORE or AFTER the school day. My mom set up the meetings for after she got off work,others' would set them up before school started in the morning. What would be so hard about doing it that way and not letting our kids have that day off??? We never had so many days off as kids do now and it's very rediculous.I'm not too fond of our kids using computers to get their work done either. Did we have them back in the 60's, 70's? No,we had to use what we have up top ( it's called our brain) to help do our work, and now,with kids using these computers,they're not really able to remember as much as we did during our school years. When my kids,now ages 21 and 15, were and are going to school and would bring home work to be done and they say they need to use the computer,do I let them? No, because I inform them that it is what is uptop that they need to use to learn and not a computer to do their job. But these days off from school , more than us, has gone too far and has to be taken care of not later but now so our future( possibly our government) can know by knowledge of how to do their work and do their jobs. Our future,mine and yours, is in our kids' hands, like their future is,so think hard about that and tell me if YOU think our kids are well off with the amount of days they go to school. Extending the days would be best in the long run. Our school days in Ca. would normally start at 8:00 and not be over with until 4:00,having 1hr. per day for lunch and recess, breakfast was eaten at home. Yes it was a long day but by the time we were done, we normally did'nt have any homework to bring home cause we would get it all done at school,unless it were those who just did'nt want to get it done. I'm sure that there are some parents out there who would agree with having the days extended cause it would give them( the parents ) one more hour of peace and quiet but I am one who goes along with the idea of extending it cause I want my kids and all others to get the education they really need and not be short-handed of it. And by the way, what ever happened to something that we called P.E ? We had that EVERYDAY not only 1 or 2 days a week ( if even that many now days) and they wonder why our kids are becoming obese? Not only is education good for their brains,since they have to use them if not computers, but exercise is good for their bodies and to keep them going the way they are now, is putting their futures in jeopardy. Let our kids learn the way we did and we just might have a much better generation ahead of us than we do now. They deserve it, They need it, Don't just talk about it?, DO IT,for THEM,not for the cost. And this part, to Jan in Norman, Let's keep up the good work in trying to get this message through to those who would rather see their kids playing xbox,Wii,nintendo or any of those baby setting games. Let's try to get our kids the proper education they need and deserve without worrying about the cost from our pocket, our kids ARE worth it,every penny!!!! My youngest son,15, has Tourettes Syndrome(tics),ADHD,OCD,Slow learning disability and anger outbursts due to his Tourettes so when I have had problems with the schooling system,I have stood up and fought for what he deserved and if those I fought against did'nt like it I did'nt care,somebody had to stand up for my son and get him what was deserved to him and I WON!!! I will continue to do this for as long as it takes and I don't care how long that is. I am raising our future and I want only what is best for him and not for myself since I have already had my education.I don't care how long my statement here is but hopefully someone out there reads it and will agree with what I am saying,for those who don't??? Well that will be YOUR fault and later on in life,it will be your kids' problem because of you! So think hard about what you're doing to your kids and think less about your pocketbook. Do your kids come first? MINE DO!!!

The push to increase the school day and/or calendar is nothing more than a basis on which to justify even higher taxes. When I realize that the last **five** days of my kids last school year was *literally* filled with board games and movies, I realized just how idiotic Garrett's comments are. That we would use the Asian school system as a comparison is a foolish, superficial argument, especially considering our fundamental cultures are radically dissimilar. Our children need time to be children, but that's not fundamentally where Garrett's motivations reside. Higher hours and school days translate to greater dollars in federal matching funds, and has *nothing* to do with improving the net quality of education our children receive. Sadly, Garrett will likely get her wish, as the state moves more and more to taking our children from us at an ever earlier age for ever longer periods of time under the auspices of "education." This was something the old Soviet Union used to do - take your kids young, indoctrinate them into the "government's" way of thinking, ever limiting parental involvement. Now we have our own educational "leaders" forcing this same system on us. Shame on us for letting it happen.

Jan--YOU ROCK! I agree with everything in your post.

As I read I noticed several interesting comments, I will try to share my thoughts on them although I may not point out who initially brought them up because my eyes have gone googley from reading at this point: No-Child Left Behind: This is a particularly bitter point for me. I have a 10 year old with some learning disabilities and behavioral issues. He was pushed through the first 4 years of school until I came to the stark realization that he was NOT capable of doing the work and I chose to leave him behind. The school fought me tooth and nail over it and he's no longer in that school. One year repeating the grade at a different school and he's almost 100% back on track with his education and behavior. I think Traci pointed out something about the kids being behind when they get back to school. I agree totally with this and that's why my children are made to read at least 30 minutes per day during the summer. They also are required to watch at least an hour of educational television per day and are limited to a total of 2 additional hours on the video game or television after that. I also have it mandatory that they have to spend at least an hour and a half outside getting fresh air and being active. If they choose not to do so, they lose any television time for a week. That all may sound harsh but I want my children to be well rounded and I don't think that using a TV or video game as a babysitter is going to get the job done. They also need fresh air and exercise to keep their bodies healthy. PE in school: I strongly advocate returning a good phys ed program to schools. I'm not talking about anything where there are permanent teams, kids allowed to do what they want, etc. When I was in school during phys ed we did all kinds of things from kick ball, played with parachutes and balls, had little scooters we sat on and played kick ball on them, etc. My kids do a lot of the same thing now in elementary here in Norman and I love it. It gave everyone an opportunity to participate without feeling left out. But, that could be how the phys ed teacher handled the program also.

C- thanks for the clarification. The only quarrel I have with your thoughtful and insightful position is this: In too many cases, the teacher who chooses to "put in their time" holds an unfair advantage over the teachers who desire to excell. That advantage is tenure. I have seen too many mediocre teachers bring down an entire school district, simply because they can be mediocre and there are no repercussions. HOMEWORK: Our children have too much! If the school day is lengthened, I would expect to see an exponential decrease in homework. RECREATION: I agree the children should have time for recreation, whether it is in an organized setting such as PE, or at recess. They need to have time for fun as well as work! ENOUGH! I think we all agree that parents should be involved. Unfortunately, we can't fix that.

Heather Pickens, Okc. I do not think children should be in school an extra hour every day. Yes, there is a lot of time between the final bell & dinner time, but children need time with their family & that is as important to their development as well. Especially, when the sun goes down earlier in the winter, children need all the time outside to exercise when they get home as possible. I know the schedule in public schools and they do not receive near enough time outside to play at recess. You cannot blame the test scores purely on lack of time spent in school. If the school systems could gather more parental involvement--the parents would be more willing to read to their kids every night or help them with homework--because they would understand WHY they needed to and WHY it was important. You can't expect to keep kids in school an extra hour and by magic--scores will increase and everything will get better. There needs to be more involvement about what happens in the classroom during the six hours they are there. Also, the Zone days & Good Friday could be decreased in order to add the additional days if necessary. I don't beleive in taking away field trips altogether to make up the additional days. I believe that children can learn just as much, if not more, from hands-on experiences during field trips as they can in the classroom. Children needs field trips for their development as well. But--I do agree that they calendar could be adjusted without adding an additional five days.

Off topic: Deann, it is good that your legislator and you do not advocate tying teacher pay to student test performance. Many folks do advocate that method. Thanks for elaborating about the method you advocate. Do want you to know that I am aware of that method of evaluation (the one used in your office) having been on both ends of that spectrum myself...the reviewer and the reviewee.(no,I did not do my own employee evaluation