TIFT COUNTY, Ga. (WALB) - Parents and school staff in Tift County are voicing concerns about the district’s new school hours for the 2025–2026 school year, saying the extended days are leaving students exhausted and overwhelmed.

According to the new schedule, most elementary schools start as early as 7:35 a.m. and dismiss at 3 p.m., while middle and high school students are in class from 8:20 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. Some parents say these longer days, combined with only a 15-minute recess and shortened lunch periods, are taking a toll on children’s focus, energy and morale.

Tift County’s Chief of Communications, Dana Spurlin, said the decision to extend school hours came from a committee tasked with finding ways to meet new structured literacy requirements. The committee’s solution was to add more instructional time to the school day.

“The instructional time at our elementary schools was very inconsistent, so we wanted to establish a consistent start and end time so that we had consistent opportunities for all of our students,” Spurlin said.

A school employee also spoke out, saying the schedule is especially hard on the youngest students.

“It’s hard seeing the little 4-year-old pre-K kids coming to school at 7:00 in the morning. They are exhausted by lunchtime,” said Cherry Smith.

Spurlin added that students have 10 to 15 minutes of daily movement time, along with “specials” classes that include physical activities.

Still, some parents argue the schedule has taken a toll on their children at home.

“[My daughter is] just extremely tired. By the time I pick her up, before we even get home into the driveway, she’s asleep,” said Gracie Davis, whose daughter is in the school system.

Another parent said the new schedule is having negative effects on students.

“Fifteen minutes of recess with longer days and poorly allocated lunch time does not make anyone’s day better. It results in poor behaviors, fatigue, lack of focus and attention, sensory overload and overwhelm, minimal movement and a decline in morale,” said parent Amber Barker.

Davis added that the schedule feels more like a work shift.

“The children are having almost a workday, almost like if they are working 8 to 5. They’re there all day long,” she said.

Another parent told WALB, “My 8-year-old gets home at 3:10 and my oldest at 5:10. My 8-year-old is extremely exhausted in the afternoon, leaving him with no energy for family time or playtime. They’re getting burnt out when learning should be fun and something a child looks forward to.”

Parents also worry about the toll on teachers.

“Luna’s teacher, her son goes to our daycare,” Davis said. “When she’s picking up her son, I’m picking up my kids. She’s been at the schoolhouse all day long since well before I got there, and she’s just now getting off to go pick up her kids. It’s just not fair.”

The district told WALB that teachers are only required to work eight hours a day. But according to the State of the American Teacher Survey, one out of every four hours teachers work each week goes unpaid. That means longer days are impacting staff as well.

Some parents believe the district isn’t looking at the bigger picture, pointing to the poem “Because I Ain’t Got a Pencil” by Joshua Dickerson as a reminder that what may seem simple on paper can create larger struggles at home and in the classroom.

Spurlin said she understands the adjustment period is difficult, but emphasized the district’s goal is to improve student outcomes.

“Of course, it takes everyone several weeks to get adjusted to getting back into the school year. Our students have built-in movement breaks throughout the day,” she said. “Certainly we want our students to be successful. We want to give them every opportunity to be successful.”

Both parents and the district disagree on the impact of the extended schedule. Both sides said they share one priority: the future of Tift County’s children.

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