Thoughts on increasing length of school day

"They can make the school day 24 hours if they like, and nothing will substantially change. I taught elementary school for 30 years and noticed that as the school day progresses only one thing basically happens to kids: they get tired! If you really want to improve public education, rather than increasing the length of the school day, it would be better to decrease class size. Teachers would then have more of a chance to administer individual instruction during class time, to all children. There wouldn't be many chances to tune out, and more work of real value would be accomplished. Children need time to be children. They're not going to get it in a nine-hour school day. Those who hate school will only hate it more. Most of the other children will be burned out by the time they reach high school. And when will there be time to do homework?"
- Kathleen Crisci (retired teacher)