Chicago schools announce plans for longer day

Students in the nation’s third-largest school district may soon be spending more time in school.

Chicago Public Schools officials announced plans on Tuesday for a longer school day and year starting next year. That includes a longer day by 90 minutes and a longer year by two weeks.

School officials say the school district has one of the shortest school days in the nation.

The issue has become a political one too, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel vowing to lengthen the day while on the campaign trail.

Earlier in the summer, Illinois lawmakers passed legislation that paved the way for Chicago to lengthen its school day and year.

About 405,000 students attend Chicago schools.