Wow, this is a doozy. The LA Times got the scoop that LA Schools Superintendent is considering shortening the school year.

Los Angeles schools Supt. Ramon C. Cortines has asked his chief financial officer to study the possibility of shortening the school year to offset part of an expected shortfall of at least $500 million, The Times has learned.

The strategy, if adopted for the 2010-11 school year, would run counter both to the direction of national reform efforts and to the wishes of Cortines, who agrees with research touting the benefits of an extended academic calendar. (LA Now 10/29/09)

In an ideal world, we wouldn’t even be discussing shortening. We would be talking about moving to year-round schooling. Instead of loading down our students with ridiculous amonunts of homework, we would increase the number of school days, scatter the vacation weeks, and do what is most effective, not what is cheapest.

But, we’re settling. We’re settling for a dimmer future where our children our lest educated and less prepared for the future.

I, for one, am looking forward to the day when the least common denominator can get elected to the Presidency. Oh…wait…