TIFTON, Ga. (WALB) -TIFTON, Ga. (WALB) - Parents and students in Tift County are responding to the district’s decision to change school start and end times next school year. The new plan makes the school day almost a half hour longer.

Parent Kameron Marcoux calls this change unnecessary and says with school time starting so early, she’s going to have to get creative to make sure her students are productive and alert throughout the day.

“Having them eat breakfast earlier, come in earlier, I don’t like is beneficial to all students,” Marcoux said.

Next school year, Tift County students will start school ten minutes earlier and end fifteen minutes later than the current time. Students will stay in school for an extra 25 minutes.

“They’re already there for 7 hours. If you can’t get the information you need to them in 7 hours, then you’re just not going to get it to them. Their brains can only take so much,” Marcoux added.

Others say with students getting up so early starting school later would be a better option.

“I think a little later would give parents more time to prepare them for school and then when they get to school they can focus,” one grandparent said.

Eighth grader, Mihir Bag, says the change may be inconvenient but he doesn’t mind the longer days.

“As long as the classes stay fun. I don’t think it’s too good or bad, it’s just ok. It’s not going to change my day too much,” Bag said.

Next school year, students will have nearly 7.5 hours of instructional time each day giving teachers more time to cover more material. Tift County Schools says this change is backed by research and is meant to benefit both the student and teacher.

For more information on the new time change, click here for the Tift County Schools news release.

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