This digest discusses block scheduling and it relates to teaching standards, staff development standards, and assessment standards. The standards are examined in terms of how they can be achieved through the use of block scheduling, and conclusions stress the necessity of scheduling for maximum student learning. (DDR)

This digest examines problems inherent in the traditional school scheduling pattern. It offers block scheduling as an option and describes variations in block schedules. It then looks at the benefits and challenges of block scheduling and concludes with a few suggestions for making the transition. Proponents argue that block scheduling allows for…

This digest discusses the rationale for changing school calendars. It describes what some districts are doing and advises school leaders and board members on the issues that typically arise when a calendar is changed. It examines the nationwide push toward a longer school year, driven in part by so-called high-stakes testing and mandated increases…

The number of part-time faculty instructors at two-year colleges has grown steadily since the early 1960s, increasing from 38% in 1962 to 65% in 1993. Part-time faculty are employed in community colleges for four main reasons. First, they save an institution money in both salaries and benefits and are rarely promoted; second, the use of part-time…

The importance of parent participation in a child's education is undisputed, and low-income urban parents can and want to help with their children's schooling, both at home and at school, as much as do middle class parents. However, most poor urban children live in single-parent, female-headed households--often Black or Hispanic--and many school…