The Chicago school district, which has handed out more than $7 million in incentives to teachers and schools willing to lengthen their days this year, will distribute another $3 million in grants to schools showing ingenuity in how they use the extra 90 minutes.
All the district’s schools will move to a 7½-hour schedule next school year, and all can apply for the new $100,000 grants.
Along with showing student need and innovation, schools must demonstrate they’ve provided time for teacher collaboration, worked on individual learning paths for students, and offered time for extra instruction to help failing students catch up.
