On Top of the News
Success Academy Schools, in Shortening Their Day, Shed a Distinction
New York Times | 12/17/15

Behind the Headline
What Explains Success at Success Academy?
Education Next | Summer 2015

Success Academy charter schools will shorten their school day next year, Eva Moskowitz, the head of the charter network announced this week.

Currently, elementary school students at Success Academy schools are in school for eight hours 45 minutes and middle school students for nine hours 15 minutes. Next year elementary school students will be in school for eight hours and middle schoolers will be in school for seven and a half hours.

Moskowitz told New York Times reporter Kate Taylor that “We have gotten much better at teaching over time, and our teacher training has gotten more effective, so the amount of time it takes us to get to mastery has actually improved.”

Two other prominent charter school networks, Achievement First and KIPP, have also shortened their school days, in part as a way to keep teachers happier, Taylor reports.

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The Summer 2015 issue of Education Next included a feature story, “What Explains Success at Success Academy?” by Charles Sahm.

—Education Next