Monday is the first day of school for Richmond City Public Schools 200

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- Richmond City Public Schools is celebrating its first day of school for 200-Day students on Monday, highlighting the program's success two years after beginning in the 2023-2024 school year.

At 8 a.m. on Monday, July 21, Superintendent Jason Kamras will be at Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School, located at 2409 Webber Avenue, to mark the first day of school for the city's Public Schools' 200-Day students.

This celebration showcases the success of the program -- where students attend school for 200 days instead of the standard 180 days -- which reportedly "has shown measurable improvement in student outcomes since it began two years prior.

"Time is one of the many variables in education, but it`s just that a variable," said Superintendent Kamras. "By giving teachers and students the gift of more time, our 200-Day schools are leading the way for RPS' rise."

The 200-Day pilot began in the 2023-2024 school year at Fairfield Court and Cardinal elementary schools as "as an innovative and high-impact way to address longstanding equity and achievement gaps," per the school division.

The school district added that teachers and staff receive a proportional increase in their base compensation.

Meanwhile, Oak Grove-Bellemeade and Woodville Elementary joined the program last year.