homework contract teacher student

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Homework Contracts: Tapping the Power of Parents

• Study & Organization

Students who regularly complete and turn in homework assignments perform significantly better in school than those of similar ability who do not do homework (Olympia et al., 1994). Homework is valuable because it gives students a chance to practice, extend, and entrench the academic skills taught in school. Parents can be instrumental in encouraging and motivating their children to complete homework. This homework contract intervention (adapted from Miller & Kelly, 1994) uses goal-setting, a written contract, and rewards to boost student completion (and accuracy) of homework. Students also learn the valuable skills of breaking down academic assignments into smaller, more manageable subtasks and setting priorities for work completion.

• Copy of Daily Homework Planner (see attachment at bottom of this page)

Preparation:

• Train Parents to Be Supportive 'Homework Coaches'. Parents are often very committed to helping their child successfully complete homework. To ensure that parents have positive interactions with students around homework, though, the school should sponsor one or more parent workshops to offer tips on how to be 'homework coaches'. In particular, parents should be offered strategies for listening in a careful and non-judgmental manner to their child, to avoid nagging about homework, and to brainstorm with their child about possible solutions for common homework difficulties (e.g., writing down all homework assignments correctly). Additionally, they should be taught the essentials for setting up and following through with a simple reward system at home (Miller & Kelly, 1994). At this introductory workshop, parents would also be trained in the steps of the homework contract (described below).

Steps in Implementing This Intervention:

• Step 1: The Parent Creates a Homework Reward System for the Child. The parent should put together a short menu of reasonable daily and weekly rewards that the child can earn for successfully completing homework. Good choices for daily rewards are those that do not cost a lot of money, and do not take much time to deliver. While weekly rewards should be somewhat larger than daily rewards, they should still be affordable and not require a great deal of the parent's time. Because any rewards that the parent chooses must appeal to the child, the parent should consult the child in the selection of rewards.
• Step 2: The Parent Negotiates the Homework Contract Program With the Child. Before starting the homework contract, the parent should meet with the child to introduce the program and to set up a reward system (see Step 1). Together, they agree on the percentage of homework goals the child must complete each day (e.g., 80%) to earn the daily homework reward. They also agree on the number of times in a week that the student must earn the daily reward in order to be eligible for the weekly reward (e.g., 3 times in a week).
• Step 3: The Parent and Child Fill Out the Daily Homework Planner. Each day when the student has assigned homework, the parent and student sit down with a copy of the Daily Homework Planner [web page; pdf document]. Together they preview the homework assignment for all subject areas. Then they break the assignment into manageable 'chunks' or subtasks. A description of each subtask is written into the Daily Homework Planner in enough detail so that both parent and student know what must be done to complete that homework chunk. A description for a math subtask, for example, might read "Complete 20 multiplication problems from pg. 40 of math book, then use answer key to check work". The parent and child might write on the homework contract that the child will reserve 30 minutes to complete that subtask.
• If the student earned the daily reward, the parent has the student choose an item from the reward menu. (Daily rewards should be given immediately if possible.)
• If the student also earned the weekly reward, the student can also select an item from the weekly reward menu (to be delivered in a timely manner but when convenient to the parent).
• Step 5: Fade the Reward System. As the child shows that he or she is able to complete daily homework assignments on a regular basis, the parent may want to start 'fading' the reward system. First, the parent may stop the daily rewards but continue the weekly rewards. Then the weekly rewards can be stretched out to biweekly and eventually monthly rewards. In the final stage of fading, the parent can stop giving out regular rewards altogether. Instead, the child's motivation can be kept high by the parent 'surprising' him or her occasionally with an unexpected reward.

Troubleshooting

The parent does not want to use the homework contract If a parent is unable or unwilling to use the homework contract with a student, the intervention can be used in school instead. At the end of the school day, for example, the teacher or other staff member might meet with the child to preview all homework assignments and assist the student in filling out the Daily Homework Planner. If the student brings the Contract sheet and completed homework back to school the next day, the teacher can give him or her the earned daily (and perhaps weekly) reward.

Attachments

• Daily Homework Planner Sheet

Jim's Hints

Identify Other People To Help the Parent With the Homework Contract . If the student attends an afterschool program where he or she completes homework, personnel from that program may be willing to set up and use the homework contract with the child. Or if there is a responsible older sibling in the home, he or she may be willing to administer a homework contract system. The parent would still be expected to deliver any rewards that the student may have earned.

• Miller, D.L. & Kelly, M.L. (1994). The use of goal setting  and contingency contracting for improving children's homework  performance. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,27, 73-84.
• Olympia, D.E., Sheridan, S.M., Jenson, W.R., & Andrews, D.  (1994). Using student-managed interventions to increase homework  completion and accuracy. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis,27, 85-99.

Organization printables to share with your students’ families

By Amanda Morin

Expert reviewed by Julian Saavedra, MA

Download these free printables to help your students and their families get organized. They can help with morning routines and other organization challenges.

Backpack checklist for younger kids PDF - 199.5 KB

Getting — and keeping — a backpack organized is a huge challenge for many students. Help families turn a luggage tag into a backpack checklist that’s an easy, discreet tool to help students keep track of what they need to carry to and from school. Depending on what grade you teach, you may want to give families the version for older kids . 

Spanish PDF of backpack checklist for younger kids

Spanish PDF of backpack checklist for older kids

Understood article for families that explains how to use a backpack checklist 

Homework contract for grade-schoolers PDF - 183.8 KB

For many families, homework can be a source of great frustration and tension . A homework contract can be a good resource for families who are looking for new ways to manage this challenge. It can hold everybody accountable for what they need to do to make sure homework gets done on time and well. A homework contract can help students feel proud of the work they do. It can also help students stay on track to complete work that meets the standards and expectations you set for them. Depending on what grade you teach, you may want to share the version for middle-schoolers and high-schoolers . 

Spanish PDF of homework contract for grade-schoolers

Spanish PDF of homework contract for middle-schoolers and high-schoolers

Understood article for families that explains how to use a homework contract

Getting ready for school PDF - 50.7 KB

Getting ready for school can be challenging for some students. Picture schedules can help them follow these daily routines. For many families, these visual planners are easier to follow than written schedules. 

Spanish PDF of picture schedule for getting ready for school

Understood article for families explaining how to use this and other picture schedules 

Afterschool routine PDF - 45.2 KB

Much like a morning routine, an afterschool routine can be challenging for some students to follow. Share this picture schedule with families to help students stick with a schedule for homework and other important activities. 

Spanish PDF of picture schedule for afterschool routine

School communication log PDF - 125.9 KB

Handing out a school communication log can help you encourage families to communicate regularly with you — and to let them know you welcome hearing from them. The log helps families jot down notes about important meetings, phone calls, emails, and other school-to-home communication. The log also makes it easier for families to keep track of who they communicated with and when — which can be especially helpful if their kids are struggling with academics or behavior. 

Spanish PDF of school communication log

Understood article for families explaining how to use a school communication log

Explore related topics

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Homework Contract

Discussion in ' Elementary Education Archives ' started by teacherbell , Aug 23, 2006 .

teacherbell Cohort

Aug 23, 2006

I teach first grade and I was thinking about doing a homework contract. Do you do one and if so, what does it say? Thank you!  

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katenar Cohort

Homework Policy Letter I sort of do a homework contract - I actually call mine a homework policy but it does explain the guidelines of what I expect from the students and their parents. However, I need to add a blurb about homeworkopoly but that will need to wait. Below is a sample of my policy (I got most of it from one of my resource books....if I think of the name I'll send it to you). Katie www.msjensenclass.com Dear Parents/Guardians, Why I Assign Homework: I believe homework is important because it is a valuable aid in helping students make the most of their experience in school. I give homework because it is useful in reinforcing what has been learned in class, prepares students for upcoming lessons, teaches responsibility and helps students develop positive study habits. When I Assign Homework: Homework will be assigned Monday through Thursday nights. I do not send out “homework packets.” Assignments should take students no more than 45 minutes to complete each night. This does not include studying for tests, 20 minutes of reading, and working on projects. Spelling tests will be given each Friday. I will give student’s approximately one week’s notice to study for all tests. Student’s Homework Responsibilities: I expect students to do their best job on their homework. I expect homework to be neat, not sloppy. I expect students to do the work on their own and only ask for help after they have given it their best effort. I expect that all assignments be turned in on time. Teacher: Because I strongly believe in the value positive support plays in motivating children to develop good study habits, I will give students encouragement, and offer helpful feedback when they do their homework. Parent/Guardian: Parents/Guardians play an important role in making homework a positive experience for their children. Therefore, I ask that parents/guardians make homework a top priority, provide necessary supplies and a quiet homework environment, set a daily schedule/time for homework, provide praise and support, not let children avoid homework, and contact me if they notice a problem. If Students Do Not Complete Homework: If students forget their homework or choose not to do their homework I will talk to them to make sure they understand the assignment. The students who did not complete their homework will have to complete the missing assignment during our break/recess. If the problem persists, I will contact the parents/guardians to discuss possible solutions. Agenda: Students will take their agenda home each night. Homework assignments will be recored on the calendar next to the subject area. A parent/guardian should sign the bottom portion of the calendar. Your review and daily signature can make a difference in how the use of this study skills tool affects your child’s academic performance. Please read and discuss this homework policy with your child. Then sign the bottom portion of this letter and return it to school. I have read this homework policy and have discussed it with my child. Parent’s Signature Student’s Signature  

Jenny G Companion

Katie - Great letter! Thanks for sharing. BTW, I've been exploring your site and look forward to seeing the additions. You have put a lot of time and effort into it.  

jef New Member

Aug 24, 2006

As a first grade teacher I give homework 3 nights a week. I set up a chart that the kids can see and when their hw arrives, they receive a star. Their hw should only be 10-15 minutes, with an additional reading at night. When they fill in their chart, they pick from the prize box. (pencils, stickers, bookmarks, lunch with the teacher, etc...)I do let parents know at open house my policy and ask for their support. If an assignment can't be done, I ask for a parent letter and expect it the following day.  

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Teacher says contract wasn't renewed because he wouldn't use trans students' preferred names

A high school English teacher is suing a Wisconsin school district, alleging it did not renew his contract last year because he refused to use the preferred names of two transgender students.

Jordan Cernek's federal lawsuit alleges the Argyle School District violated his constitutional and civil rights to be free of religious discrimination and to be able to express himself according to his religious beliefs when it did not renew his contract because he refused to abide by a requirement that teachers use the names or pronouns requested by students.

“The district policy would force me to go against my conviction and commitment to God,” Cernek said in a statement from his lawyers. “I did everything within my power to accommodate the needs of my students without compromising my faith.”

The suit, which argues that the non-renewal was tantamount to firing the teacher, repeatedly cites the 1964 Civil Rights Act and its Title VII section prohibiting workplace discrimination.

Filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin last month, it seeks undisclosed damages, attorney fees and a declaration that the district violated Cernek’s First Amendment rights and his rights to nondiscrimination based on race, religion, sex or national origin.

School Superintendent Randy Refsland said in an email Tuesday night that he could not comment because the matter was being litigated in court.

The suit says two of Cernek's students were previously known to him as biologically female but had recently transitioned with new names, which Cernek refused to utter. The district pressed the issue with him and, the suit says, allowed him to move forward by using physical gestures such as pointing them out for discussions instead of using their new names.

But after one of the students expressed unhappiness with the situation — the student's father was described as a fellow district teacher — the district demanded adherence to the policy of using students' preferred names and pronouns, according to the suit.

The school board discussed the matter in private, as is customary with personnel issues, and held a vote last year that led to Cernek's contract's ending without renewal, the filing says.

The suit alleges the district agreed to allow Cernek to move forward by avoiding use of the transgender students' new names but then ultimately saying he was bound by its name and pronoun policy, first announced in 2022.

Cernek taught multiple grades of English at Argyle High School, as well as Advanced Placement English for seniors, according to the suit.

The Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, which describes itself as a nonprofit litigation organization dedicated to the rights of conservatives and libertarians, is leading the lawsuit. Its deputy counsel, Luke Berg, and its associate counsel, Lauren Greuel, said in a statement that the quest to respect students' gender identities clashes with the longer-standing rights of people like Cernek.

Greuel said the fight over first names and pronouns will be crucial for "everyday Americans across the country."

The Argyle policy is one of many across the country that seek to recognize the evolving nature of gender identity and pronouns amid research that indicates LGBTQ students fare better in school when they are identified according to their preferred names and pronouns.

A 2022 report on pronouns by the Minnesota Health Department says the correct use of preferred pronouns "saves lives." It cites the 2019 Minnesota Student Survey in stating that nearly half of LGBTQ students in the state reported that they have seriously considered suicide. But transgender and nonbinary students who said their pronouns are respected by everyone with whom they live attempted suicide at half the rate of those who did not experience that respect, the department said.

The National Institutes of Health , meanwhile, says, "Intentional refusal to use someone’s correct pronouns is equivalent to harassment and a violation of one’s civil rights."

The nonprofit group Fair Wisconsin, which advocates for a state free of anti-LGBTQ discrimination, said that the state does not specifically protect gender identity or expression but that many school districts have taken it upon themselves to do so through policies like the Argyle district's.

"Fair Wisconsin recognizes the harmful impacts of anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric in the political sphere, and we want to make sure LGBTQ+ youth know that you are loved, you are supported, and we stand with you," the group said on Facebook last week in response to the latest Wisconsin Youth Risk Behavior Survey , which found that LGBTQ and female students "reported a disproportionate number of mental health challenges compared to peers."

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News.

Florida youth detention contractor will no longer operate four youth facilities

TAMPA, Fla. — A company that operates youth detention facilities for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice has announced it is terminating multiple contracts with the state.

The state shut down Lake Academy in June after a 17-year-old girl died there.

TrueCore Behavioral Solutions lost its contract to operate that facility a short time later.

The ABC Action News I-Team has learned that TrueCore will end four other multi-million-dollar contracts with DJJ at the end of the month.

The affected facilities are Hillsborough Girls Academy, Polk Halfway House, Ft. Myers Academy and Orange Youth Academy/Orlando Intensive Youth Academy.

Hillsborough Girls Academy is a maximum-risk residential program located on the same campus as Lake Academy.

TrueCore facilities have a history of problems

For months, the I-Team has been reporting about issues at Lake Academy , which was operated by Tampa-based TrueCore Behavioral Solutions .

Three former teachers came forward , saying they were attacked by students even though TrueCore employees were supposed to protect them.

“Sucker-punched me right in the temple and I ended up with a concussion and went down to the floor,” said former Lake Academy teacher Barb Wishart-Harley. “Immediately my vision went blurry and off I went to the emergency room.”

“It was just a complete downhill spiral the entire time,” said a substitute teacher who worked at Lake Academy, who asked for anonymity because she feared retribution from her employer.

“I had my back to her. Never saw it coming. She jumped on me from behind,” said former Lake Academy teacher Heather Cleveland, who said she was attacked twice while teaching at Lake Academy.

A 17-year-old girl’s death in late May triggered ongoing investigations by the DJJ Inspector General’s Office and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

“I hope we find out what happened, why it happened and how on earth it happened in a facility where every door is locked, there’s windows, there’s cameras. Yet a youth died,” said Barb Wishart-Harley.

Florida DJJ moved dozens of girls to other facilities statewide following Lake Academy’s closure.

TrueCore: Termination of contracts “planned for months”

Now, the department says TrueCore is terminating contracts to operate Hillsborough Girls Academy, Polk Halfway House, Fort Myers Academy, and Orange Youth Academy.

A TrueCore spokesperson said in an email, “The termination of TrueCore’s operation at the facilities referenced had been planned for months.”

He said TrueCore planned to terminate the contract before the girl’s death.

The existing contracts will end on August 31.

Lydia Perkins and Timothy Huff’s special needs son was previously assigned to Polk Halfway House.

“He had been restrained more than 20 times in that time frame. His body was pretty much covered in bruises. He wasn't being medicated properly,” Huff said.

The couple told the I-Team in July that they believe the state should end all contracts with TrueCore to operate residential facilities.

“And they're still allowed to hold a contract, not just one, but several. And you have to stop and think and say, why is this still happening?” Perkins said.

Contract costs taxpayers big bucks

These facilities cost taxpayers plenty.

According to state records, TrueCore had a five-year, $11.7 million five-year contract to operate for the 22-bed Hillsborough Girls Academy, which was set to expire in 2028.

That breaks down to $106,000 per bed/per year.

TrueCore still has multiple other state contracts to run residential facilities.

“It's the kids that suffer and they continue to just profit over these children,” Perkins said.

The Department of Juvenile Justice says it’s working to reassign those contracts to get another company or companies in place within the next two weeks to minimize disruption to the children who reside in those facilities.

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Back to school for Mason students as teachers vote on new contract

MASON, Ohio (WXIX) - Students in Mason City Schools return to class Thursday as teachers vote on a new contract and the high school has a new principal.

Teachers reached a tentative agreement last week after months of negotiations.

It’s the first day back to schools for @MasonHSComets students! Find out about their new dream center on @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/fjXWWUxyRG — Payton Marshall (@paytontvnews) August 15, 2024

The union that represents more than 600 teachers sought a new three-year contract with increases to pay and professional development programs.

A federal mediator was brought in this spring to help negotiate a deal.

A contract draft proposed a 3.75% salary increase for the first year and a 3.5% pay increase for the following two years.

In other district news:

• Mason schools have a new cell phone policy that bans the devices from classrooms and hallways unless students receive permission from a staff member. Students will be permitted to use phones during lunch break.
• Mason High School - Ohio’s largest high school - is starting the 2024-25 academic year with a new principal. Ben Brown, a veteran administrator at Lakota Local Schools in Butler County - the second-largest school district in Greater Cincinnati - joined Mason City Schools over the summer.

Brown worked at Lakota for nearly two decades, since 2005.

When he left, he had served as principal at Lakota West High School in West Chester Township since 2020.

“First and foremost, it’s a great day in Comet Country,” Brown told FOX19 NOW Reporter Payton Marshall in a live interview Thursday morning as students streamed into the school.

“First day of school, the energy’s up, teachers are ready, everybody’s excited, we’ve worked hard all summer, really looking forward to engaging with our kids.

“As far as being here at Mason, it’s been a great entry point for me. Everyone in the community has been so welcoming. Mason has obviously a great reputation as a premier school district and I’m just thrilled to come over here and be part of it and help lead it to where we are going to be going next.”

Regarding the new cell phone policy at the high school, Brown said they will let the teachers work with the students in a “partnership” to determine what works best in their classrooms.

“We take more of a classroom management approach to that, let the teachers kind of work with the students to develop that culture and climate within their classrooms, really rely on the kids. I mean, it’s a partnership,” he said.

“So we step in and we make adjustments as needed but as far as being heavy-handed or overly controlling, that’s not really our approach here unless we need to be and at this point, we do not.”

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Copyright 2024 WXIX. All rights reserved.

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Culver Academies

Find It Fast

In this section, culver tweaks schedule to provide students with time to meet with teachers.

Senior French instructor Angela Barton Haynes works one-on-one with a Culver Academies student. (Photo by Mo Morales)  

Culver Academies is modifying its daily schedule this year to include a 55-minute morning break for students to use to meet with teachers, academic staff or counselors, to catch up on homework or to use as they like.

“Students can use this time to meet their needs. It is their time to plan and use. But it does have an academic priority to it,” said Josh Pretzer, dean of faculty. “We are encouraging students to use the time to study or connect with adults for support or extension work, but they may also need a moment to rest, take a walk, read for pleasure, practice music or pursue an independent project.”

Students are encouraged to prioritize that time to catch up on any academic needs and to use the time well.

All Culver faculty, academic staff and counselors will be available to students from 9:50 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. every weekday except for Wednesdays, when the school runs on a different schedule to allow for student life programming. To make time for the 55-minute break, class periods have been shortened by five minutes to 80 minutes.

Teachers can require a student who missed a test or an assignment to make it up during the 55-minute break. Teachers also can require students to meet with them during that time if they are in need of additional help.

The time isn’t to be used as required time for extracurricular activities.

School leaders decided to review the schedule because it hadn’t been changed in more than two decades. The review occurred after a survey created by the National Association of Independent Schools and given to Culver Academies students more than a year ago showed that adjustments were needed to support student well-being, especially sleep.

Culver Academies senior mathematics instructor Tracy Wogoman works with a student during open office hours. (Photo by Andrew Crowell)

Culver experienced and studied several different schedules last year to see what worked best in an attempt to balance time for sleep, academics, co-curriculars and leadership.

Surveys found the students preferred having a set time during the school day where they could meet with teachers rather than at the end of the school day when they felt rushed to get to their co-curriculars.

Another change this year is there are two lunch blocks instead of three. Students reported they appreciated having lunch associated with class. The lunch blocks are either 12:15 p.m. to 12:55 p.m. or 12:55 p.m. to 1:35 p.m. The dining hall remains open from 11:00 a.m. to 1:40 p.m. for those who have open time to each outside of the class structure.

For the second straight year, instructors who teach classes made up primarily of freshmen or sophomores will go to lunch as a class at the Lay Dining Center for the first two weeks of school.

Jackie Carrillo, Ph.D., dean of studies, said the reason for that is because going to lunch can be intimidating for new students.

“Some students were opting not to eat lunch rather than walking into the dining hall by themselves,” she said. “This builds community within the class. My hope is that a new student will find someone in their lunch block class they will want to eat lunch with in the future.”

Carrillo said surveys showed that requiring classes to eat together at the beginning of the year was popular among new students.

There are other options for students looking for lunchmates. The Huffington Library has a table where students can eat and talk about books.

“It’s a nice place for students who don’t know where to sit to have a place with a friendly adult to talk about something that is interesting to them,” Carrillo said.

Other changes made last year in response to the NAIS survey are continuing.

Senior humanities instructor Peter Miller works with a student during open office hours. (Photo by Andrew Crowell)

C.Q., or call to quarters, a time when students are required to be in their rooms or in the library for study purposes, is from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., the same as last year. School officials moved CQ up 30 minutes last year and moved lights out up from 11 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. in an effort to give students more time to sleep. Late lights will be until 11 pm., with internet access turned off from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m.

Wake up time is 7 a.m. and no commitments can be scheduled before 7:30 a.m.

Co-curricular time is now 3:45 p.m. to 6 p.m., so the bells on Memorial Chapel have will be programmed to play the Culver song at 6 p.m.

“So the whole community can hear that we are transiting to our evening routine,” Pretzer said.

Teachers are again being asked to keep homework to a maximum of 45 minutes per class a night. Carrillo said that research shows that achievement for high school students increases up to spending a total of two hours a night on homework, but then after that, achievement starts to decrease.

“I wanted to drive home the reminder that these changes we’re making to try to support student well-being and sleep are not in conflict with wanting our students to do well academically,” Carrillo said. “The more well our students are, the higher their achievement will be.”

Faculty also are being asked to post their homework assignments a week ahead of schedule to give students time to plan. Almost 95 percent of students said they found that useful.

Carrillo said the results of the latest NAIS survey show that the changes have been successful in helping students get more sleep. The number of Culver students reporting they were averaging seven or more hours of sleep a night jumped from less than 30 percent during the 2022-23 academic year to nearly 70 percent in 2023-24.

“It may not be where we want it to be, but it’s a huge improvement,” Carrillo said.

The number of students who said they were spending two or more hours on their homework each night dropped from almost 45 percent to 30 percent.

The number of students who said they were happy in the past 30 days increased from about 75 percent to about 82 percent and the number of students who said they were lonely in the past 30 days decreased from nearly 40 percent to slightly over 25 percent.

“I think it has paid off in significant ways. To see this amount of change in a short amount of time is remarkable,” Carrillo said.

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Mason City Schools, teachers union reach tentative agreement one week before school year starts

MASON, Ohio — After more than a dozen rounds of contract talks, Mason City Schools has reached a tentative agreement with the union representing more than 600 Mason teachers.

With just one week until the first day of school, more than 100 parents, teachers and students rallied in downtown Mason in a show of support for educators vying for a new union contract.

It came as representatives with the Mason City Schools Board of Education met with representatives from the Mason Education Association for the 16th round of contract talks since February.

RIGHT NOW: Dozens of people are rallying in Mason for educators. It comes as the Mason Education Assoc. and board of education meet for another round of contract negotiations @WCPO pic.twitter.com/FSfnnIaQ5C — Connor Steffen | WCPO 9 News (@ConnorSteffenTV) August 5, 2024

Jonathan Cooper, superintendent for Mason City Schools, released the following statement:

"We are grateful to begin the new school year with negotiations behind us, allowing us to focus on what matters most—providing exceptional educational experiences for our students. Our teachers and staff can now move forward, ready to welcome and engage students from day one. We believe this tentative agreement represents a fair and respectful outcome for Mason’s high-quality educators."

As of Monday afternoon, those representing the district's teachers at the rally said they did not believe a fair contract had been offered.

"Anyone in any profession deserves a cost of living adjustment. Teachers are no different," said Wendy Spatz, leader of the Mason City High School parent-teacher organization. "They work hard. They spend hours after school on the weekends here, preparing lessons for our kids."

In their release, Mason City School said the agreement is a three-year contract that will be voted on by Mason Education Association members before getting final approval by the board.

For more information on Mason City School's academic calendar, click here .

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New school hours for Newark students mean longer day, extended lunch for teachers

Sign up for Chalkbeat Newark’s free newsletter to keep up with the city’s public school system.

Newark Public Schools students will have longer days this year under a new universal schedule that guarantees a lunch break and transition time for teachers.

All district students are expected to arrive at school at 8:15 a.m. and will be dismissed at 3:05 p.m., according to the new schedule posted on the district’s website. Last year, the school day ran from 8:25 a.m. to 2:55 p.m. for elementary school students and from 8:15 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. for high school students.

Students will spend six hours and 50 minutes in school under the new schedule change – 20 minutes more than last year for elementary school students and 25 minutes more for high school students. The new hours allow all teachers a 45-minute lunch break but extend their work day to seven hours as they are required to arrive no later than five minutes before students.

The new universal schedule allows for more instruction time, an extra 30 hours of tutoring for elementary students during the school day per year, and a lunch period equal to that of a class period, Paul Brubaker, the district’s communications director, said in an email to Chalkbeat Newark on Friday.

The district announced the new schedule on its website and in pop-up messages with the new hours on the homepages of schools online. Some parents said Friday they weren’t aware of the changes as they gear up for their students to return to school in roughly three weeks on Sept. 3.

The changes are part of a new agreement between the district and the teachers union to guarantee all teachers a 45-minute lunch break. During this year’s contract negotiations, the union said some teachers would skip lunch or squeeze in a snack in between classes.

Under the new schedule and contract, the workday for high school and elementary teachers will begin at 8:10 a.m. and end at 3:10 p.m. starting this upcoming school year. Paraprofessionals, including teacher aides, parent liaisons, and educational interpreters, will work the same seven-hour day as teachers, Brubaker added.

Across the country, instructional time for K-12 public schools runs an average of seven hours a day and 180 days a year, but the length and time of the school day varies by state, according to the Pew Research Center. A 2017 study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that middle and high school start times should be 8:30 a.m. or later to support student mental health and reduce the risk of depression and anxiety.

In 2017, the state’s Department of Education gathered a group of district administrators to participate in a study group on later school start times . The group surveyed district administrators across New Jersey and found that delaying start times could pose challenges for all grade levels including issues with student transportation, after-school activities, and child care.

The New Jersey School Board Association says start times “should be determined by local school boards in response to local needs, conditions, and community input,” wrote Janet Bamford, NJSBA spokesperson in an email to Chalkbeat Newark on Friday.

The new schedule in Newark could also pose a problem for working parents or those with multiple children in different schools, said Gregory Good, president of the Parent Teacher Organization at Sir Isaac Newton Elementary school. Good, the father of a public school student and two middle school charter students, said he wasn’t aware of the new schedule until contacted by Chalkbeat. The new hours will affect which of his children get dropped off at school first and he foresees more traffic issues than normal on the first day of school.

“Everybody from all over the neighborhoods are trying to get to different schools across the city and then go back home, and it’s just, like, it creates a transportation nightmare with schools and drop-offs,” Good said. “And charter school parents are literally driving from all over the city.”

The district does not expect an increase in traffic across city neighborhoods or a higher number of students arriving late as a result of the schedule change, wrote Brubaker on Friday. There are no new buses or routes planned for the 2024-25 school year, Brubaker added.

For some teachers, the new hours and extended workday are a welcome trade-off for a break during the school day. Joicki Floyd, a former English teacher at Peshine Avenue Elementary school, said she would sometimes work a full day at Peshine without a break and often would rely on snacks and fruits to get her through the day. When she would have time for lunch, it was sometimes cut short.

“My 30-minute lunch would never be 30 minutes, because we would always have to cover for another teacher, or if we took our children to the next teacher and that teacher wasn’t there, then we would have to give up our lunch,” said Floyd, an executive board member for the union who now teaches at Malcolm X Shabazz High School.

Longer lunch periods were “one of the most requested items we got in the contract meetings that we held prior to negotiations,” said John Abeigon, the union president, in June when the contract between the district and the union was approved . He noted that the increased time would be used for extended lunch and more transition time between periods.

The union’s new contract came after nearly five months of negotiations. There were 582 votes against it and 1,331 votes in favor, with just under 30% of the union’s 7,000 members participating in the vote.

Last year, state lawmakers introduced a bill that would have required New Jersey’s public high schools to start classes no earlier than 8:30 a.m. but the proposal failed to pass through the Senate Education Committee. Bill sponsors Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin (D-Middlesex) and Sen. Vin Gopal (D-Monmouth) cited the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s recommendations in their bill as a reason for later start times.

Jessie Gómez is a reporter for Chalkbeat Newark, covering public education in the city. Contact Jessie at [email protected] .

The change likely leaves less time for district officials to meet with students and families at schools recommended for closure.

Justin Schwartz credits his childhood experiences as to why he is committed to a CU Boulder that better represents Colorado.

Proponents of a ban hope that a more consistent and proactive citywide policy could avert some of the daily conflicts over cellphones.

The Detroit Free Press reported that the judge who had a Detroit student handcuffed for falling asleep in his courtroom during a field trip has been temporarily removed from his docket. He also has been ordered to undergo training.

Block Club rounded up more than 30 parties, festivals, block parties, and other events across the city where you and your family can find free school supplies, backpacks, food and fun.

Paying for school supplies can have a significant financial impact on some families. Local groups in Newark are giving away free haircuts, backpacks, helmets, and other supplies this month.

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