"Speak Out" is an expression of opinion from the Editorial Board of WBTV, and is presented by General Manager, Nick Simonette.
Year-round schools. They're often debated among parents and educators.
Could they make a difference in academic achievement?
Well, we're about to find out, thanks to "Project L.I.F.T."
Out of the nine west Charlotte schools in the Project L.I.F.T. zone, four will have continuous learning or extended time calendars next year
The idea is that more time in school will keep children from falling behind during a long summer break.
Additional costs for the extra classroom time will be covered by the Project L.I.F.T. charity.
What we like most about this change is how the process worked.
Last fall, Project L.I.F.T. began surveying parents to see if they supported the idea of year-round schools.
They held meetings to answer questions and debate the pros and cons.
In the end, they found overwhelming support for the change at only four of the nine schools.
Giving parents a say in the decision means that Project L.I.F.T. can count on their participation to make this change a positive one for their children.
Combine that with support from the School Board and the private funding from Project L.I.F.T., and you've got a model that could really make a difference in the futures of these kids.
That's something we all can get behind.
Tell us what YOU think. SpeakOut@wbtv.com.
