A four-day school week (4dsw) is becoming more common, especially in areas across the western United States. States with large rural areas are spearheading this change. For example, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and South Dakota have more than 500 districts using a 4dsw. The transition to the 4dsw and the debate over…

In 2014 the Washington state legislature approved career- and college-ready (CCR) requirements for high school graduation that better align with admissions standards at the state's public universities than previous requirements did and that aim to equip students with the skills to pursue the career of their choice. The requirements took effect for…

This article describes the practical application of an innovative bilingual preschool program that involves two-way immersion of both English and Chinese in classrooms. This has not been written about extensively, especially in the context of early childhood classrooms in Asian countries. The primary goal of the two-way immersion kindergarten is…

In school districts and charter school networks nationwide, instructional leaders are developing plans to address the enormous challenges faced by their students, families, teachers, and staff over the past year. To help kick-start the planning process, the Thomas B. Fordham Institute presents "The Acceleration Imperative," an…

This brief is one in a series highlighting state policies, regulations, practices, laws, or other tools intended to create the necessary conditions for school and/or district turnaround. Each brief includes an overview of the relevant turnaround tool, its development process, its impact, and lessons learned that could assist other education…

Worried about the large number of young children from low-income families entering school in their communities, many city and county leaders wonder whether quality preschool might help close the school readiness gap. Longitudinal studies of model programs that began decades ago show that these programs improved not only these children's school…

In the middle of the author's doctoral coursework in the spring of 2002, he had a discussion with the head of the upper school at Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) (New Jersey) about a potential dissertation topic that would benefit their community. In no time at all, the conversation turned to the daily schedule. In August 2004, the author…

The latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) identify 34% of American adults as obese and another 33% as overweight. Since children tend to mimic adult behavior, adults not only hurt themselves when they practice poor eating and exercise habits, they also hurt their children. With only one-third of adults modeling…

In 1997, New York State lawmakers passed the Universal Prekindergarten (UPK) legislation, a bold new approach to early childhood education. It established new part-day Pre-K programs that were free and open to all four-year-olds. Today, the state invests $414 million annually in Pre-K, which serves more than 100,000 children in public schools and…

A southwest Arkansas high school is meeting teachers' and students' needs with a reorganized 4:4 block schedule that changes the traditional arrangement (7 55-minute classes daily for 180 days) to 2 terms with 4 90-minute classes per term. Teachers can teach a concept, work with it, and discuss results in one class period. Students have homework…

Massachusetts is heralded nationally for being the first in the nation to enact a state policy to redesign and expand the learning day for all students to advance academic achievement, broaden enrichment opportunities, and improve instruction. The Expanded Learning Time (ELT) Initiative has gained momentum over the past several years due to the…

Describes an upstate New York high school's success at restructuring its schedule according to a modified Copernican Plan. The Dover Renew 2000 block schedule divides the school year into trimesters; each term has two 120-minute periods and a shorter interest block. This approach "dejuvenilizes" the high school and allows more focused,…

In England, the traditional 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. school day, with generous lunch, morning, and afternoon breaks, is yielding to alternative arrangements to accommodate the extra workload arising from numerous government-mandated reform initiatives. This article documents the reasons, discussions, and processes involved in one secondary school's…

By altering the school schedule, one English school has made room at the end of the day for a special activities period during which eleven to fourteen year olds participate in extracurricular activities, private study, or special elective courses. Pupils' reactions to the scheme are noted. (SJL)

Concerned about educational quality in the Mifflin County (Pennsylvania) School District, a committee of educators surveyed 11 other Pennsylvania districts concerning their experience with intensive scheduling in high school special-education programs. Responses were generally positive, except for concerns about special-education support services.…