U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will join Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper and Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy among others, as five states announce their participation in a major new effort supported by the Ford Foundation and the National Center on Time & Learning that will add significantly more time to the school year for tens of thousands of students in select public schools starting with the 2013 school year. The announcement will take place at the Pew Charitable Trusts in Washington, D.C., at 10:30 a.m. ET on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012.
Following the announcement, Duncan will discuss the need to provide disadvantaged children more time and support to raise achievement.
Also at the event, a new report will be released by the National Center on Time & Learning entitled, "Mapping the Field: A Report on Expanded-Time Schools in America." The study identifies hundreds of new expanded-time schools across the United States.
Education leaders across the country, particularly in communities of concentrated poverty, are looking for strategies to ensure that their students are well-prepared for success in college, career, and beyond. By expanding their school day or year, schools are able to provide their students with a rigorous, well-rounded curriculum, offer individualized help for students who are struggling, and provide enrichment opportunities in the arts, music, and other areas critical to development.