Education Secretary Arne Duncan's speech at a public school in Denver this week was greeted by bored stares from the middle and high school students in attendance, as reported by the Associated Press. But Duncan certainly caught the attention of teachers and parents when he proposed longer school days, longer school weeks and a longer school year.

Expecting a reaction, Duncan prefaced his remarks by saying, "Go ahead and boo me," then declared, "I fundamentally think that our school day is too short, our school week is too short and our school year is too short."

If Duncan's comments were not enough to set off earthquakes in the education bureaucracy, then adding recent comments from President Barack Obama supporting merit pay for the best teachers and removal of the least capable teachers, will certainly shake things up.

Obama says that education, along with energy and health care, represents the foundation of his vision for bringing change to America. And Duncan's comments should be seen as evidence of the president's determination to bring real change to education, not just some tinkering around the edges.

Without providing details of his vision of what 21st century schools will look like, Duncan noted that in order for America to compete in a global economy, "schools should be open six, seven days a week; eleven or twelve months a year."

Duncan also praised Denver Schools for giving individual schools the ability to set aside union contracts to allow teachers to offer after-school tutoring or extra help to students on Saturdays.

And when it comes to struggling urban schools especially, Duncan sides with those who promote choice rather than a status quo that forces parents to continue sending their children to dysfunctional schools.

All of these reform ideas will run into opposition from the national teachers' unions, which have been strong political supporters of Obama and Democrats nationwide.

But while these ideas might sound radical, given past resistance to change in the education establishment, they appeal to common sense when viewed from any other perspective.

Obama deserves credit for breaking with teachers union orthodoxy and proposing dramatic changes to the way schools operate. If he follows through, he will improve the lives of millions of Americans and help keep the United States competitive.

Duncan's proposals might sound extreme to some, but it's worth remembering that the length of the school day and the length of summer vacation are century-old remnants of an agricultural society in which school-age children were needed in the afternoon and over the summer to help on the farm. Those days are long gone, and school schedules should reflect that reality.

Today, Duncan suggests, students are preparing for lives in a competitive global economy where students in other countries around the world attend school more hours a day, more days a week and more months a year. The United States cannot remain competitive if its schools remain stuck in the past.

Given the educational systems around the world, Duncan was right when he said in Denver that "six hours a day and nine months a year doesn't make sense." Still, he needs to offer details of his plan and maybe provide some sweeteners, like less homework and some additional breaks throughout the year in exchange for a shorter summer vacation.

Duncan noted that low performers, especially, benefit from Saturday sessions as well as some classes over the summer. He also suggested that the expanded school year would allow more time for arts, athletics and clubs many things that school districts have cut in recent years. Duncan also suggested that an expanded school year might allow for classes for parents. And whether those classes help get parents more involved in their children's educations or just help improve the life or vocational skills of the parents, it is another plus of an expanded school schedule.

Duncan might have set off shock waves with his comments. But Obama and Duncan are on the right track in pushing for dramatic changes to a public education system that, by most measures, fails too many students and fails to keep up with education systems in other nations.