Longer school year

Beginning this fall, most elementary schools in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles will add 20 days to their schedules, making their school year one of the longest in the United States. ... He said the Catholic schools which serve 52,000 elementary and middle school children in three counties, were simply trying to step up their performance to ensure that students would become globally competitive. ...

Antonio Felix, a teacher who became the school's director of marketing and development this year, said one key to its success has been its relatively short summer vacation, from late June until mid-August. "We're not just giving them more time in school to learn," he said. "We're giving them fewer days out of school to forget."

Juanita Vasquez, the mother of a fourth-grader and the president of Nativity's parent committee, said most parents like the longer school year, both because their children learn more and because they know their children are safe in school.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-catholic-schools-20110128,0,4367994.story

What is your opinion of a longer school year?
What is your opinion of the idea of being "globally competitive"?
What is your opinion of the idea of "safe in school"?