WASHINGTON – Prince George’s County middle school students will be in class 40 minutes longer next year.
Some students will use the time for extra help in math, science or reading, while others will use the time for music or foreign language classes.
Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. tells The Washington Post he wants students to be engaged and to be offered opportunities to solve problems and think critically.
The school day for middle school students will be 7 hours 20 minutes long in Prince George’s County, and it will be longer than most school days in the region.
Elementary students will have an extra 10 minutes in class.
In addition to giving students extra educational time, the plan will reduce the school system’s transportation costs because the county will be able to merge bus routes.
Middle school students will ride buses with high school students, saving the county about $5 million a year.
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