Arcola and Roscoe R. Nix Elementary Schools will be extending their 2018-19 school years in an attempt to close the achievement gap and prevent academic backsliding that typically occurs during summer break.

Four to six weeks will be added to the traditional school year, allowing students to begin September 2018 and end by the middle or end of July 2019.

The two schools were chosen because of their Title 1 positions, meaning both schools harbor a wide student population from low-income families and receive additional funds from the U.S. Department of Education to help offset any additional measures to help their students.

Although Governor Larry Hogan’s school mandate requires Maryland schools to apply for a waiver if they plan on schooling outside of the Labor Day to June 15 timeframe, the order exempts low-performing schools, which allows them to arrange their school calendars accordingly for growth and development.