Miller Elementary extending hours

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Miller Elementary is restructuring in an effort to boost students ISTEP scores.

The school faced being taken over by the state because of low ISTEP scores.

But Superintendent Ed Eiler announced the school is adding an extra hour for all students at the end of the day and an extra 30 days for struggling students at the end of the year.

"I think we're all equally frustrated because we kept trying to tell everybody there is a sense of urgency here. School is about to start," said Eiler.

With less than a week before the first day, a solution finally came. Eiler said the school could have potentially been taken over by the state. But the plan to extend the school day and year is enough, for now.

"The state has said that all these steps and measures we are taking they would view as satisfying the restructuring requirement," he said.

"I've given 22 years of my life to this school, I love this school," said teacher Maggie Smith. "I know that there is not a single person who works here who is not capable and caring and excellent at their jobs."

The third grade teacher said she's excited about the change.

"Our kids really need the time in school because they don't get the background," she said.

Eiler said with the added time spent in class, students will get about one third more instruction than they have in the past.

"Common sense tells you it has to make a difference," said Eiler.
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The school will get a yearly review to see if it's progressing. It has three years to prove the extended hours are helping students achieve the I-STEP.

Only one teacher is not teaching for the extended hours because he has a scheduling conflict.

The teachers staying will get a pay increase.Eiler said that will come out to about $600,000 for the year.

He said some of that money will come from federal stimulus funds.