Merged district in Michigan adopts longer school day and year

In Michigan, the school districts of Ypsilanti and Willow Run have merged into a new district, Ypsilanti Community Schools. Mlive.com says the new district will serve more than 4,000 students and will have significant differences from other districts in the state. It will have a school day that has been increased by 30 minutes; a school year of 187 days, compared with the state minimum of 175; a longer work calendar for school employees; and a faculty working – for now – without a union contract. The district still faces the financial difficulties that led to the merger. Last year, the two districts operated at a deficit – about $9 million in Ypsilanti and $2 million in Willow Run.