Let's just say that Alice Cooper would definitely NOT approve! If President Obama's new education chief gets his wish, the raucous chants of "no more teachers, no books. . ." may soon be a thing of the past. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan is examining ways to - *gasp* - lengthen the school year. The mere thought makes Duncan about as popular as a pop quiz on a Monday morning to millions of students. Unfortunately, Duncan has years of deeply troubling statistics that make the concept worthy of serious consideration. Studies show that 30% of students drop out of high school before graduation, while 50% fail to complete college. The economic turmoil is leading to cutbacks at school districts across the nation. Furthermore, Duncan is deeply concerned that American students will ultimately find themselves at a serious competitive disadvantage to their counterparts in emerging economies such as China and India, where socioeconomic challenges are minimized by more time in school.
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