A basic, but impacting benefit of an extended school day is the opportunity for teachers to cover more curriculum with students. Some schools make sacrifices on the amount of time spent on core subjects as well as the fine arts in a traditional eight-hour day. With an extended day, teachers can dedicate more intensive time to teaching each subject. This scheduling opportunities allows teachers to address challenging topics in greater detail and answer questions posed by students.
Teachers can also spend more one-on-one time with students in an expanded school day. In a typical 35- to 55-minute block for a subject, it is hard enough to get through the typical material, let alone dedicate personal attention to students who struggle. With more time, teachers are better able to recognize when students are struggling and either help them in the moment, arrange time later in the day to assist them or recommend additional after-school support to parents.
Academic publisher Scholastic notes that academic results in schools that moved to 10-hour days have been stellar. In general, studies show that students have increased proficiency in subject areas that include reading, math, science and English. In Florida, for instance, students at schools with longer days perform at almost twice the rate of students at schools with traditional days on assessment tests.
Teachers and students who feel rushed in a traditional school day often find a longer day more relaxing. Teachers typically get more planning time in a 10-hour day, allowing opportunities to prepare more effectively for each subject. Schools can also use expanded days to work on community-building and to teach students practical personal skills, such as organization, time management and communication. Students also may get study hall time during the school day to complete out-of-class assignments.