School to start earlier in Montana district

Students have been hearing about how the implementation of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) will change instruction for several years now. During the next academic year, however, pupils who attend classes in Montana's Butte School District will truly feel the effects of the CCSS when they start going to school earlier than they are used to.

Currently, students are asked to be at school at 8:27 a.m., according to The Montana Standard. In the fall, the school day will begin at 8:20 a.m., which adds up to three additional days of instruction during the 2013-2014 academic year.

While the thought of waking up earlier may not have students too excited, School District officials said the schedule change will only be applied to the coming academic year. One of the District's goals for the year ahead is to focus on the CCSS and make sure teachers and students are familiar with them.

"It's a creative way of getting this done without a lot of money," Judy Jonart, the District's superintendent, told the news source.

The Butte School District is not the only school system that sees the value in more instructional time, as 20 New York City middle schools will keep students in class for an additional two and a half hours beginning next fall, SchoolBook reported. The goal is to help students at low-performing institutions become better prepared for high school.