Children at school

[Beata]

First, I would like to thank you for answering my previous questions.
Now I have a question concerning the time spent by US children at school. So, at what time do American schools start, how many breaks during a day are there, at what time do children finish school? Do they study a lot after school?
As always waiting for reply ,
Beata, Poland.

[Jennifer Malloy]

Hi there,
As someone who went to elementary and secondary school in the U.S. during the 80s and early 90s, I think I'm qualified to answer this question.

School start times vary widely, anywhere from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., and usually finish by 2 p.m. to almost 4 p.m. For instance, in elementary school (grades 1 through 6), I started school at 8:00 and finished at 2:30. Junior high school (grades 7 through 9) started at 8:10 and ended at 3:12. High school (grades 10 through 12) started at 8:20 and ended at 3:20.

As for breaks, elementary school kids usually get "recess" twice a day, once mid-morning and again after lunch. After sixth grade though, the only break is lunchtime, which lasts anywhere from 30 minutes to more than an hour. Some high schools let the students leave for lunch, but most do not.

Regarding studying, I think there is a growing trend in U.S. schools for more homework, starting in the early grades. Personally, I always tried to get all of my homework done in school, particularly during study halls, which are times during the regular school day that secondary students can use to get homework done. However, students do not always have such free periods in their schedules, especially if they take extra courses such as languages, art, music, or journalism.

I hope that helps!