Students Double-Dosing on Reading and Math

Schools aim to improve state test scores—and satisfy federal education law.

Mount Pleasant, Texas

There’s nothing unusual about the lessons being presented in Janet Floyd’s high school algebra class: quadratic equations, square roots, and fractions. What’s less familiar is the amount of time spent on that material: one hour and 36 minutes, every day.

The extended-length course at Mount Pleasant High School, part of a program known as Tiger Academy, is required of students who failed the math portion of the Texas state assessment.

School officials here launched the venture four years ago in the hope that doubling the amount of class time on core academic subjects would raise student achievement and test scores. Similar strategies are being used in schools across the country, especially in reading and mathematics, where lengthier classes at all grade levels...