The Bridgeport Public Schools website confirms this morning that the school days will be extended by 15 minutes for all elementary, middle and high schools.

The city's high schools will continue to start at 7:53 a.m., but the end time will be pushed back from 2:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.

Elementary and middle schools will now begin at 8:50 a.m. and end at 3:25 p.m.

Previously, bell times varied at elementary and middle schools, but most ended class at 3:10 p.m.

Superintendent Carmela Levy-David says the new start and end times were created in part to comply with the state's mandate that school systems provide students with at least 900 hours of instructional time a year.

"I'm very hopeful for Bridgeport public schools. Change is always scary but our students deserve the best and making those changes to implement the best outcome for them so they are successful," says Christine Baptiste-Perez, Bridgeport Board of Education chairperson. " I'm dedicated as board chair to make sure that as the board of education that we provide the resources for your principals, our staff and our teachers to go through that change together.”