Thousands of New York City middle school students will have more than two hours added to their school days come this fall.
City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott announced a pilot program that will extend the school day for high-needs students at 20 middle schools.
“Improving our city’s middle schools is vital to helping close the achievement gap and putting kids on a better track toward educational success,” Quinn said.
The program is a part of the expansion of the Middle School Quality Initiative. Selected schools will be able to offer students an additional 12 hours per week and offer literacy-focused training during the extra hours, according to the city’s Department of Education. An estimated 2,000 students each year over the next three years will participate.
Schools will be randomly selected for the program from a pool of applicants. The $6.2 million effort is being funded by the Robin Hood Foundation, the New York City Council and the DOE.
