Clayton Public Schools is considering a proposal to release students early on Wednesdays to provide teachers additional time for staff training and development. The school board first considered the proposal Monday night, but postponed a decision until next Monday after questions were raised over the plan.
Under the proposal, elementary schools would be released 60 minutes early, middle schools would be released 75 minutes early and high schools would be released 90 minutes early, according to district spokesman David Waller.
"The early release will allow for our school staffs to receive professional development and collaborate in order to support student learning," he said.
Regular school bus transportation would be provided on the early dismissal days. The district said it also has a plan to accommodate students with scheduled after-school activities.
"Students that are involved in extra-curricular activities after school such as rehearsals or sports practices will be able to attend study hall immediately following dismissal until their normally scheduled practice times," Waller said.
But the proposal raised concerns among some parents and school board members.
"With parents, the first complaint they have is the loss of instructional time," said board member Jessie Goree, who opposes the plan in its current form. "[Arranging] after-school supervision for their children is a second concern."
Goree also questioned how the proposal was prepared without public input, saying, "Parents were not included in the decision and we cannot continue to make decisions like this without including our stakeholders."
Sid Chapman, president of the Clayton County Education Association, a teacher's group, said he liked the idea but was concerned with the timing.
"The overall feeling is that there wasn't enough input and time to work out the details," he said.
Chapman also said the plan raises different issues for various stakeholder, most importantly students.
"The big question is how will it affect the students and is there enough instructional time?" Chapman said. "Would that really be beneficial to the students? How will it affect families in terms of kids being released from school that early?"
At Monday's meeting, board members asked Superintendent Edmond Heatley to return in a week with more information.
"We are currently listening to the concerns of our community," Waller said.
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