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Cover Story

Grades 4-6

Hawaii Cuts Class

On October 23, Hawaii's public schools will put into effect a new budget-cutting plan that slashes 17 days from the school year. The move comes at the same time that Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, is saying he wants more classroom instruction time. But because of the economy, Hawaii will have the nation's shortest school year. "The 16-year-old in me is pretty excited that I'll be able to chill on those days," says Mark Aoki, a junior at Roosevelt High School, in Honolulu. "But I truly believe we'll regret this."

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