Virginia schools are cutting the summer vacations short, and that's not because of snow days:
Not so long ago, school districts throughout the country waited until after Labor Day to summon their charges back to class. Not anymore. With standardized test scores increasingly determining a school's success or failure, more districts are starting classes earlier in the summer to give students additional time in the classroom before state exams.
Waiting until Labor Day -- or even a week before -- would be far too costly to Prince George's students, said schools chief André J. Hornsby. The extra week gives teachers more time to cover the material their students need to know by the time state standardized testing begins in February, Hornsby said.
It makes sense to Simone's mother, Cynthia Mason-Posey, if not to Simone.
"I think it's wonderful," Mason-Posey said. "I'm glad they're getting more instructional time."
Simone had a different take on it. "It's kind of bad because all my other friends who don't go to my school don't have to go to school for two weeks," she said.
Posted by kswygert at August 23, 2004 09:04 PM