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Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“Legislature 2007: Bill puts longer school year to test”
By Kevin Duffy
February 10, 2007
http://www.ajc.com

Fresh on the heels of a bill that would allow fewer school days comes new legislation that would pay for an ex-periment in a lengthier school year.

House Bill 347 would provide a three-year grant to one school system and one school outside that system for 200 days or 220 days of instruction. The current public school year is 180 instructional days.

"The U.S. lags behind in student achievement, and we also lag in the number of hours that kids go to school," said Rep. Kathy Ashe (D-Atlanta), one of the bill's sponsors.

Earlier in the legislative session, two Republican representatives introduced a bill that would give local school boards the power to cut the school year by as many as 10 days.

Reps. Charles Martin (R-Alpharetta) and Ron Stephens (R-Garden City) said longer summer breaks would benefit families and the tourism industry, whose sales tax revenue helps pay for school construction.

But Ashe said schools might need more days to help struggling students.

Ashe said her proposed pilot program is a way to find out if a longer school calendar leads to greater success. A school or school system that chooses 20 extra days would get a 20 percent boost in its state funding for three years; 40 more days would mean a 40 percent funding increase.

Some of the extra money would fund teacher pay increases of 10 percent or 20 percent each year. A school board would have to hold at least one public hearing before seeking funds for the longer school year.

More instruction time seems to work at the Atlanta charter school KIPPS WAY Academy, Ashe said.

Nearly all the students there, 80 percent of whom are poor enough to qualify for federal lunch money, score well on the state-mandated Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests. KIPPS WAY students have just five weeks off during the summer and attend classes on some Saturdays.

"Anything worth doing in life isn't easy," Principal David Jernigan said.
Ashe's bill will go to the House Education Committee.