Block Scheduling

• SPS Parent and Student Pop-up Webinar January 20, 2022
• Power Point Presentation Parent and Student Pop-up Webinar January 20,2022 ENGLISH
• Power Point Presentation Parent and Student Pop-up Webinar January 20,2022 SPANISH
• Panel of Education Professionals Working in the Block Schedule January 26, 2022
• SPS Students--Mayor's Youth Leadership Council Pros & Cons
• Samples Student Schedules in the 4x4 Hybrid Block Schedule
• Samples Teacher Schedules in the 4x4 Hybrid Block Schedule
• Profiles of Example Schools on a Block Hybrid Schedule

Stamford Public Schools remains committed to improving student learning outcomes and increasing college and career readiness for all graduates.

Over the past several decades, many studies have collected data on school reform efforts around the country, some of which include schools that use block scheduling. In the spirit of transparency and critical analysis, we have cited several studies and articles below, some of which support the practice of block scheduling while others question its overall effectiveness. As noted in one synthesis of evidence-based research, because block scheduling is not in itself "school reform" and rather “a vehicle to enact instructional, curricular, and organizational reform,” there is no reliable causal data regarding block scheduling to suggest notable negative impacts on student learning outcomes or college and career readiness.

SPS encourages all interested parties to review the studies and articles below.

• About Time: Master Scheduling and Equity (Columbia Law School)
• Opinion: Ninth Graders do better with fewer classes, new research shows 
• Center for High School Success Study
• Block Scheduling Effectiveness_ A 10-Year Longitudinal Study of One GA School System's Test Score Indicators
• Block Scheduling in the High School Setting
• Block Scheduling and High School Mathematics Instruction
• Block Scheduling in Texas Public High Schools
• An Analysis of Research on Block Scheduling
• Block Scheduling- More Benefits than Challenges. Response to Thomas
• Block Scheduling- The Effects on Curriculum and Student Productivity
• Blocking the School Schedule: Potential for Instructional Change
• Project: Research of Block Scheduling

• Implications for Educational Practice of the Science of Learning and Development
• 10 Features of Good Small Schools: Redesigning High Schools, What Matters and What Works

• Unlocking Time (produced by Abl)--Tools and Resources for Creating an Equitable Master Schedule
• The 4x4 Plan
• Advantages of Block Scheduling
• The Effects of Block Scheduling
• Around the Block: The Benefits and Challenges of Block Scheduling

• Tolland HS, CT Change in Schedule (1996)
• Orange County HS, VA and the 4x4 (1995)
• Poway, CA Moving to 4x4 Block (2021)
• Union Mine HS, CA Change in Schedule (2013)

What is a 4/4 Block schedule?

In a 4x4 hybrid block schedule, there are four 90-minute instructional blocks each day. Most classes meet daily for a semester. At the end of each semester, students earn a full credit for each course that meets daily. Classes that are .5 credit or run for only one semester on the current traditional schedule will now run on consecutive days for one quarter (approximately ten weeks), or half of either the fall or spring semester.

In the SPS hybrid schedule, some courses will meet on alternating days throughout the school year on what is known as an A/B schedule. Classes that will run year round meet the following criteria*:

• Courses that require a test or portfolio at completion (e.g., IB, AP)
• Courses that are co-enrolled with AP/IB (e.g., UConn ECE)
• Courses that result in a periodic publication (e.g., Yearbook, Journalism)
• Courses that are performance-based (e.g., Band, Choir, JROTC)
• Courses that are governed by outside partners (e.g., AgSci, PLTW)
• Courses that require academic support for successful intervention for some students (e.g., Alg 1 paired with SPEF tutoring)
• Courses to balance full year offerings (e.g., some PE & Health classes, some sections of 9th Grade Seminar, others TBD)

*This list continues to be updated with input from stakeholders.

why is 4/4 right for sps?

For SPS high schools, the schedule will create a culture of:

• maximizing student learning and experience by more effectively arranging time, resources, and people
• providing teachers adequate time to collaborate and refine their practice (teachers will have at least 90 minutes per day for preparation for classes)
• creating more equitable access to rigorous and rich coursework for all students
• improving attendance, learning, and graduation rates (see research links below)
• reducing disruptions and transition times during the school day, thus increasing time spent in the classroom

how does 4/4 benefit students directly?

• Offers personalized and flexible schedules for students to meet their learning needs 
• Address the social and emotional needs of many students who are feeling overwhelmed and stressed by current expectations and course loads
• Increases the number of credits students can take each year, allowing students to take more electives so as to explore their interests and possible career options
• Reduces the number of courses taken each semester, thus decreasing the amount of classes to prepare for each night as well as books and materials to manage
• Creates a more manageable student load for teachers, so that they can provide  more individualized attention for their students and build relationships in the classroom
• Structures longer class periods which give students more time to think and engage in active learning
• Decreases student class load means that if they are absent, they have fewer courses requiring make-up work and fewer teachers to contact about their missed time
• Allows students to accelerate learning by taking two years of a content area class in one school calendar year
• Provides immediate intervention for students who need to recover credits within one school calendar year

Will students lose continuity of instruction?

Research (see below for studies) shows that the loss in content retention that will occur under this schedule will not be significantly different from what students lose over summer. Additionally, it is suggested that it is not how much time students spend in school or in their classes per se, but how that time is spent. The 4x4 hybrid block schedule allows for students and teachers to maximize instructional time, which leads to deeper and more internalized learning. 

What would a sample schedule look like?

In the 4x4 hybrid block, students can earn 8 credits during the school year as part of their normal schedule, which is one more credit per year than the current SHS/WHS schedule with 7 periods per day. Find sample student schedules here.

In the hybrid schedule, students can take between 4-8 classes per semester, depending on their individual needs and goals. By taking fewer courses each semester, students can choose to focus more intensely on a smaller number of subjects at one time. They can also balance their more challenging courses with courses they may find less difficult, so as to increase their ability to dedicate more time and effort where needed. And for students who are taking alternating A/B courses, such as band or an Advanced Placement course, they would still most likely take fewer than the current load of seven credits at a time, allowing them to reap some benefits of a reduced course load.

is instruction time compromised in a 4/4 block schedule?

In a 4x4 hybrid block schedule, the amount of instructional time in a particular course is 8.5 hours less per year than the current 7 period day schedule. (SPS classes meet for 140 hours per year. The CT State Department of Education recommends 120 hours per year.) However, once it is factored in that the students will be taking one full additional course per year and when we allot for fully one half the transition time for each class (including settling in at the beginning of class, taking attendance, and packing up at the end of class), there will be no lost instructional time in the new schedule.

In this schedule, some students will increase the amount of instructional time per year in a core area, because they will take additional courses. For example, a student might take Spanish 2 during the first semester and Spanish 3 in the second semester and take an entirely different language the following year, eventually experiencing more World Language courses than they would have under the current schedule. Similarly, a student might take Geometry during the first semester and Algebra II during the second semester, eventually taking more math courses than they would have under the current schedule. Both of these examples allow students to accelerate their pathways in the content area without having to take two courses concurrently, such as taking Geometry and Algebra 2 all year at the same time.

How does the 4x4 Hybrid Block Schedule support pathways and continuity across the district?

SPS is currently doing the exciting work of building a solid pathways program in all three high schools. The hybrid block schedule allows for the most flexibility in allowing our juniors and seniors to pursue credit bearing experiences, such as work-place learning, pre-apprenticeships, and internships. In addition, frontloading courses in the fall semester of senior year would allow a student to begin their post-secondary endeavors early.

How will the 4x4 Hybrid Block Schedule serve students in Special Education?

Students in special education benefit from a variety of learning activities and differentiation in the way content is presented. Block scheduling provides the environment to reap these instructional benefits through increased time for small group instruction, practice and reinforcement of skills introduced, and the delivery of specialized instruction related to IEP goals and objectives. Extended class time allows for reinforcement of lessons and content from general education classes as well as targeted work in support classes. In this schedule, teachers can “chunk” time, giving students more time to spend on each activity presented without the pressure of quickly moving to their next class. The 4x4 hybrid block schedule also reduces the amount of daily transitions as well as concerns with organizational skills for many students due to the lessened course load and decreased homework, assessments, and materials. 

How will the 4x4 Hybrid Block Schedule serve English Learners?

By decreasing the number of classes each semester for English Learners, beginner language learners will be immersed in their English as a Second Language courses. Bilingual and sheltered classes will continue to be available as needed. This will allow students to focus on English language development and gradually use this English in general education classes. English learners will benefit from the deeper connection with teachers and learning materials in the longer class periods.