Alicia Abelson
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) 11 DC Public Schools have extended their school year by 20 days, marking August 8th as the first day of school.
The new program tacks two weeks on to the beginning of the school year and two weeks on to the end of the school year with shorter intermittent breaks throughout. No break from school will last more than two weeks, not even summer vacation.
DC Public Schools implemented this program in the hopes that low-income students who may struggle in school have the opportunity to retain more information and spend more time in the classroom. Out of the 11 schools adding to their school year, nine of them are in Ward 7 and Ward 8, two of the city’s poorest wards.
The new school year ends July 13th and looks to start two weeks prior.
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