Some Schools in New York State Extending the School Year

My sister is mad. I mean steaming mad. I mean she's ready to pack up her home, her business and her family and move to another state. Why?

My sister is furious because New York is one of five states participating in a pilot project that will test lengthening the school day/year. My niece Kayleigh will turn five this August and her school district is requiring her to start school full time the following month. My sister is furious because she doesn't like that Kayleigh will have to start school at the age of five and she doesn't like that New York is going to lengthen the school day/year. She thinks by doing this, the state is cutting into Kayleigh's childhood and into her time with her daughter.

So why are New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Tennessee considering lengthening the school day/year?

Education Secretary Arne Duncan explained it this way:

Whether educators have more time to enrich instruction or students have more time to learn how to play an instrument and write computer code, adding meaningful in-school hours is a critical investment that better prepares children to be successful in the 21st century."

 

I'm curious how you feel about this.