ELGIN - The school day at School District U-46’s 38 elementary schools will be extended by 20 minutes starting with the 2025-26 school year, allowing the District to offer increased high-quality instruction and improve student learning. 

The schedule shift, in which elementary schools will start 10 minutes earlier and end 10 minutes later than they do currently, was presented to the Board of Education on Monday. The extension of the school day was included in the four-year contract reached with the members of the Elgin Teachers Association (ETA) and ratified in February 2024. 

By extending the school day, all elementary students in grades kindergarten through 6th will have increased access to special classes that include PE, art, music, health, digital literacy, and science. 

“This extension will result in an additional 60 hours of instruction each school year for our elementary students and provide increased access to engaging opportunities,” said Deputy Superintendent of Instruction Lela Majstorovic. 

Half of U-46’s 38 elementary schools currently have classes from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Starting on Aug. 11, 2025, those schools will instead be open from 7:50 a.m. to 2:10 p.m. The other half currently operate from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; their time will be shifted to 8:20 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. 

The District’s bus schedules will be adjusted to accommodate the shift. Other questions are addressed in a list of FAQs located here. 

U-46 families have been notified of the change, and they will receive more information and reminders as the start of the 2025-26 school year nears.

###

School District U-46 serves families in 11 communities: Bartlett, Elgin, Hanover Park, South Elgin, Streamwood and Wayne, as well as portions of Carol Stream, Hoffman Estates, St. Charles, Schaumburg, and West Chicago. In total, the District encompasses 90 square miles within the Fox River Valley, approximately 45 minutes west of downtown Chicago, and includes communities within Cook, DuPage, and Kane counties. More than 34,000 preschoolers through 12th graders attend the 55 District schools and programs. To learn more, visit the U-46 website, or like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.