Senator Kamala Harris Proposes Bill to Extend School Hours

Written by Jasmine

California State Senator and Democratic Presidential Candidate, Kamala Harris, has proposed a bill that would extend school hours until 6 p.m. to align with working parents’ work hours.

The Family Friendly Schools Act works to better support working families by eliminating the need for costly after school childcare and transportation. This legislation is the first of its kind.

The typical American school has about 29 days off throughout the year on average, and many of them end at or around 3 p.m. With the average work day going until 5 p.m., the current school hours are more difficult on working families. In addition to juggling work and school schedules, childcare is very costly and can cause substantial financial burden, especially on low-income families. 

Senator Harris had this to say about the proposed bill, “My mother raised my sister and me while working demanding, long hours. So, I know firsthand that, for many working parents, juggling between school schedules and work schedules is a common cause of stress and financial hardship. But, this does not have to be the case. My bill provides an innovative solution that will help reduce the burden of child care on working families. It is time we modernize the school schedule to better meet the needs of our students and their families.”

According to a statement released by the office of Senator Kamala Harris, “The Family Friendly Schools Act will create a first-of-its-kind pilot program to give schools resources to stay open during the entire work day throughout the school year and to invest over $1 billion in enriching summer learning programs – all without forcing teachers to work longer hours or for less pay.”

Longer and school hours that will eliminate the need for childcare, won’t force teachers to work more with less pay and will support low-income and working families!? Seems like a great idea!

To read more details about this proposed bill, click here.