Time in school. Are there evidences to support the changes on the school time management in Spain?

Abstract

The effect of the school time (from 8:30 to 15 versus from 9 to 17) on the results of the students has been a subject scarcely studied, but conflicting in the Spanish national context due to its laboral and social consequences for teachers and families. The two main objectives of this work are: first, inquire whether there is an association between academic performance and type of school schedule; second, to analyze teacher preferences for one type or another of school schedule and the reasons for thinking so. Three decades since 8:30 to 15 schedule began to be implemented in some regions, it can be concluded that the expected academic progress have been reduced and comparable to those experienced by communities that have remained in 9 to 17 schedule. By survey methodology (N = 400) combined with semi-structured interviews (N = 30), it is evident that teachers prefer the shorter schedule, adducingreasonssuch as the possibility of increasing professional developmentor fewer roundsto the center.