Block Scheduling Analysis

Year-round schools have gained popularity among the United States, being a very communicated topic within middle class communities. These schools are generally argued about by whether they are beneficial or not. While there are many advantages to year-round schools, there are some disadvantages as well. A few of these disadvantages include the expenses of the schools, the schedules the schools provide, the involvement within the schools, and the actual effectiveness of these schools.

Imagine a school year that never ends. A year without summer, relaxation, and vacations with family. Summer is the time of year that every student cannot wait arrive. But what if the playful time filled with friends, smiles, and laughter did not exist? What if school remained in session year-round? This is happening in 3,181 schools across America and is gradually increasing (edweek.org). The government calls it: Year-Round School. There are both many pros and cons to this controversial issue in today’s education; however, Year-Round School is not a good decision because of the social outcomes, the financial costs, and the academic effects that Year-Round School burdens on the students.

Education is very important. Students being able to concentrate and focus in school is very important. The problem is that we can’t meet everyone’s satisfaction. Dress code, SOL testing, and many other things are issues. One such issue is class scheduling. I believe 4x4 scheduling would be a better option for everyone.

School has played a predominant role in young Americans’ lives for centuries. While parents worked a full five-day week, children were able to learn, socialize, and be safe while their parents were away. The same is true of today’s society. However, some schools are introducing a new concept -- a four-day school week. Although much controversy is raging over this topic, the overall acceptance has been high. Therefore, New Castle Schools should become part of this growing trend and go to a four-day school week.

Have you ever wondered what the difference between traditional schooling and year-round education is? Maybe you didn’t know that there are more than one type of year-round education. A year-round school schedule can benefit educators, students, and even families. Year-round schooling is where the breaks in school are on a balanced schedule. Instead of having a three month summer break, there would be 60 days off and then the students would be back to school. If on a multi track schedule, teachers could use their off time to substitute at their school on a different track or at another school to get paid more. For students, the shorter breaks away from school increase retention rates, therefore reducing the amount of review necessary at

A low income school in New Haven, Connecticut started the new year telling students they would be attending school until 4:15 P.M. four days a week. New Haven teachers in an unprecedented move allowed their teacher unions to take over the rewriting of their contracts. This provided the teacher with more freedom with curriculum and time management. Although the final outcome was beneficial the origins of the extended day was not welcomed.

How would the population react if the schedule that structures many peoples’ entire year were to change? This change is a reality for a growing number of families across the country as a method of improving primary and secondary education through year-round school. Although many have come to accept or even embrace year-round school in an effort to help students retain more material, year-round school would actually disrupt the learning environment, be potentially detrimental for students and their family’s financial health, as well as that of the schools, and could take away from family and personal time.

What is your least favorite class, the one you dread most? Picture yourself walking into that class, taking a seat, and watching the clock move slowly as you suffer through the next 90 minutes. Yes, you read that correctly. Imagine being stuck in your least favorite class for an hour and a half! This is a reality that many high school students experience every day. It is block scheduling. “Unlike traditional bell schedules - which typically comprise six to eight class periods per day, lasting anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes - block schedules contain just four daily class periods, with each one lasting an average of 90 minutes” (Block Scheduling in Schools 1). Although designed to increase student achievement, block schedules carry a number of disadvantages that make them an inadequate method for offering high school students a successful learning environment. Despite its few benefits, block scheduling works in direct conflict with most human attention spans, creates more scheduling problems than it solves, and lacks any solid evidence of improving student learning. In a world where educational practices come and go, block scheduling is a fad that should never have arrived in the first place.

Sommerfeld, Meg. "More and More Schools Putting Block Scheduling to Test of Time." Education Week. N.p., 02 May 2016. Web. 24 Mar.

Eyes watching the clock, praying it could move faster. The students are full of joy when the bell finally rings. Only to wake up tomorrow to repeat it over again. Some teachers and students want to go to block scheduling for the upcoming school year. Having Advanced Composition in either of the block schedules has its advantages and disadvantages.

In the junior high and senior high building many efforts have been put forth to ensure all students educational needs are being met. In addition to the implementation of the Flex Mod schedule other safeguards have been put into place as a safety net for failing students.

Their concerns focus on how the proposed schedule would impact families with single parents or with two working parents who would have attending different campuses with different start times and dismissal times. Thomas Brady, a parent of a six grade student at Leaguetown Middle School with two younger children attending elementary. Thomas feels that “Dr.Owens

What about the people who have built their whole life style around the school schedule. Maybe in the summer, this moms seventeen year old has to take care of the three year old baby sometimes. Well, now that can’t happen because of school in the summer. Maybe the people are kind of poor to and can’t pay for a babysitter. That mom will have to quit her job and watch the baby. Or the daughter will have to drop out of school. Is that what the people want? Or say that there is a family that is very poor. The mom works two shifts but still can’t provide enough money. The dad left a while ago, and the daughter has to work in the summer to help pay for food. Well now that school is in the summer, looks like those people will starve. Teachers don’t have it good either. It could take a couple of months for the teachers to figure out lesson plans, maybe finalize grades. The people who want year round school are taking that away from teachers. Now the teachers only have one week to do all that. That may not be enough time for teachers to get ready. There are some people that like to go on vacation in the summer mabe to go see their grandparents that they can only see at that time. Well now with school all year round those people can’t even go see family. Do you see what this article is about. This system is good enough, it has been good enough for a while now, so why change it for no reason. It

It is October 15th. Normally, students would be at school, working for hours on end at math, communication arts, and science. But this year is different. This year your school has now entered into the year-round calendar system. At home, you can enjoy the season of fall with pumpkins, Halloween, and beautiful weather. The idea of year round school has most commonly been pushed aside because of the misconception that it is too much school, or an on-going cycle of learning. However, those who declare this, do not understand the year-round school concept. Year-round school provides the same number of days as the traditional calendar. The difference, which will change our society and the achievement rate of our students in the future, is that the days are reordered into intersessions. The mechanisms of year round school include students attending school for a nine week period, then following this is a three week break. This rotation occurs year-round with a slightly longer summer break. Consequently, Though many people agree with keeping tradition with the popular school calendar, new evidence and testimony proves that year-round school provides the better avenue because the world is evolving, it benefits low income students, and intersessions are more effective than summer break.

First and foremost, we are operating in a system that is accountable to the Minnesota Department of Education. In turn, the Department of Education is accountable to the state legislature. Unfortunately, there are currently very few legislative initiatives encouraging the development of future-ready students. This is not unsurprising given the antiquated funding structure of today’s public schools--one based on a formula created in the 1950s. In addition, we are charged with developing future ready students based on priorities that were relevant generations ago. For instance, today’s students need to be prepared for a career that requires collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, and communication; yet, we are asked to meet these demands in a traditional seven period school day that was designed with the agrarian calendar in