Determining the number of hours and days students should spend in school per year to improve student achievement has been a central policy issue, influencing, for example, authorities' attitudes toward disciplining pupil non-attendance and fining parents for the withdrawal of students for vacations. This paper is a review of research studies on…

This paper examines student learning time as a key educational resource. It presents an overview of how different OECD countries allocate instruction time. It also develops a model to understand the effective use of allocated instruction time and examines how different OECD countries compare on this. The paper confirms the value of sufficient…

The impact of class time lengths on student achievement is a complex issue with multiple extraneous factors and without definitive answers. A major theme across many of the studies reviewed is that the amount of instructional time is not so important as how that time is spent. Key points include: (1) The commonly held conception that students in…

Attention has been directed toward extended school time as a measure to improve academic achievement. The school year and day length have varied over time and across localities depending on the particular needs of the community. Proponents argue that extending time will have learning and non-academic benefits. Opponents suggest increased time is…

The author reviews the advantages and disadvantages of the quarter system and summarizes the conclusions of recent studies comparing the semester system to the quarter system. (JW)

The paper examines legislation regarding the year round school model for minority handicapped students. Problems with the 12 month model are pointed out including an emphasis on the disabling characteristics of these students, lack of opportunities to learn in the community, and high costs. In addressing the need for 12 months of schooling for…

Year-round schooling is a form of educational restructuring designed either to increase efficiency by enabling a district to accommodate more pupils without providing new buildings or to modify the school year to improve both academic and nonacademic outcomes. The main forms of year-round schooling include the single-track calendar and multi-track…

The procedural history and the implications of the Appeals' Court decision in Armstrong v Kline, in which Pennsylvania was found in violation of federal law by restricting special education services to 180 days, are discussed. (CL)

The paper elaborates on the position statement supporting Extended School Year (ESY) programs of the Council for Exceptional Children's Mental Retardation Division. Included are a review of ESY's background, a summary of litigation, and research on the regression/recoupment syndrome. Expanding ESY to mentally retarded students with critical needs…

Points made in favor of year-round education include: improved attendance; better coordination of students, vacations, and facilities; fewer discipline problems; less stressful teaching conditions; and continuity benefits for special needs students. (CB)

This report examines both the educational and political dimensions of time reform. It presents the findings of a wide range of research on time reform, discusses the impact of various time reforms on the life of schools and beyond, and makes recommendations for policymakers about how to best leverage time in and out of school to improve student…

Past efforts to improve education have focused on curriculum and instruction. Some schools are pursuing more systemic year-round schooling and 4-day week reforms. The Waihe'e Elementary School and the Star of the Sea School, both in Hawaii, are implementing single-track plans for year-round schooling to improve academic achievement,…

Although policymakers have recently tended to call for longer school days or years, such reforms might be ineffective or counterproductive if they fail to take into account the interactions between time and other determinants of learning, including the role of the student in allocating time. Research has shown that the amount of learning is a…

This book provides information for educators considering ways to make the best use of time available for learning. Twenty-one articles are divided into 5 chapters. Chapter 1: "How Can We Make the Most of the School Day?" includes an overview and 6 articles: (1) "Block Scheduling" (Karen Irmsher); (2)"The Hybrid Schedule: Scheduling to the…

This paper presents a case for the implementation of year-round education, arguing that education needs to effectively and efficiently utilize school facilities. The paper focuses on the cost of implementing and operating year-round schools--the impact on support services, transportation, facilities, and maintenance. Data are based on a review of…