A growing number of the 25,250 students in the Manteca Unified School district are spending between 9 and 12 hours a day at elementary campuses.

It is the direct result of the state’s directive several years ago to start high school instruction later in the morning.

The California Legislature decided older students need more sleep in order to be attentive in class. The later school start, in turn, is supposed to improve academic performance.

That required districts such as MUSD that have a substantial number of rural students that require busing to start elementary schools earlier due to a limited number of buses.

Most elementary classes now start school at 8 a.m. while Johsua Cowell, New Haven and Nile Graden schools start at 7:40 a.m. and Veritas at 7:50 a.m.

High schools, such as Manteca High, start at 8;40 a.m. and end at 3:32 p.m.

The shift in elementary start times exacerbated “getting to school” issues in households where both parents work.

It also made the end of the school day more challenging in a district where up to 18 percent of commuters are considered “supercomputers” — those that spend more than three hours a day traveling to and from work.  Elementary schools now end school between 1:55 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.

Given “babysitting” options before and after school are extremely limited where both parents or the only parent in  the household work, the district stepped up its organized before and after school offerings.

 Students who attend both before and after school  programs are extending their “school day” from five to six hours.

That means there are students on some elementary campuses from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The district now has in place what is essentially 9-hour days with expanded learning opportunities programming partnering with Give Every Child a Chance and the City of Manteca Recreation & Community Services efforts.

The district is looking at including the new Thomas Toy teen center and the Boys & Girls Club to help meet the need.

At the end of last school year, there were 2,175 students participating in after school programs at elementary schools.

An additional 350 students where involved in before school programs.

At the high school level, 271 students were involved in similar programs.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com