How long are your public school parent-teacher conferences?

[Momit]

15 minutes - elementary. The teacher had a list of social and academic skill areas and checked whether the student needs improvement, is showing improvement or has mastered the skill. We had time for a couple of questions but not much. They ring the bell when it's time to end and the next set of parents comes in.

[SnuggleBuggles]

15-20 for both middle school and elementary. If you go in on the primary conference day, you meet with all of the grade level teachers at once. Report cards are reviewed, comments are made, questions are asked and answered. Our teachers are great about staying in touch so I'm good with 15-20 minutes.

[liz]

10 minutes this year for elementary school. We saw teachers for DS1 and DS2. I thought we had longer blocks in the past (15 minutes). I think 15 minutes is fine, but 10 is not. We got into each meeting late because they were both running behind, which was frustrating.

In our school, the meeting is to basically discuss how the child is doing in class academically and perhaps touch on how they are adjusting to the new school year. Other issues are should be scheduled for another meeting, but I don't think that always happens.

[klwa]

Elementary, and I'll say it depends.

Once every nine weeks, we're required to go to a parent/teacher/student conference to pick up the child's report cards. It also gives us/the teacher a chance to discuss any sort of issues we're having. Those last between 5-10 minutes usually. (Some parents seem to want to treat these as full blown conferences, which pushes the whole schedule off for everyone behind them. *sigh*)

With that said, you CAN request a full blown conference if you have a special concern. These would be more in the realm of the 25-30 minute type conferences.

[Simon]

Public elem. We have typically 3 conference sessions per year (very start of school, Nov and April). Conferences are 10-15 min, scheduled in advance, and its possible to sign up for a double block if needed. In preK we had 15 min conferences. The public MS has an open conference night where you visit the classrooms of the subject teachers you want to see. I think they ring the bell every 15 min to keep people rotating but I know some parents have longer meetings.

[vludmilla]

Elementary, 20 minutes

[khalloc]

At my kids' K-2 school they gave you 15 minutes with the child's primary teacher. This is their full-time teacher. They have "specials" like art, music, gym, guidance and library and there were no appointment times with those teachers. I imagine you would have to request them. DD is in a new school this year and I havent heard about her conference times yet. I imagine 15 minutes will still be the time allowed.

[MelissaTC]

Public middle. No conferences unless requested by either side.

[georgiegirl]

20 min. Student is there for the first 10 minutes, then it's just the teacher and parents for 10 min. Public school.

[hillview]

1st grade 20 mins public school