High schools around the nation are attempting to find a solution to the "9th-grade bulge," and the ever-growing systematic problem of 9th grade retention. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of the daily bell schedule on ninth-grade student achievement and overall school performance. A mixed method, sequential…

Student absenteeism is a barrier to learning and an issue that requires policy intervention. Students with disabilities are of particular concern, as they miss school more often than students in any other demographic group. Affecting a key attribute of school structures, policies promoting full-day kindergarten began as an effort to improve…

This paper presents the findings of a multi-site case study focused on the role of mid-day supervisors in English primary schools. Ethnographic approaches were employed to gain an understanding of the role and how this is experienced by those who undertake it. This included a fully participatory phase where the researcher inhabited the role of a…

This empirical study examined undergraduate college students' perceptions about HyFlex/hybrid courses during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 305 students (73 male, 234 female) completed an online survey that assessed technological strategies, instructional strategies, and perceptions about HyFlex classes. Students indicated that most of their…

This paper examines the adoption and outcomes of shortened parts of term--referred to as SPOT--across nine diverse higher education institutions, drawing on insights from a roundtable discussion with key stakeholders involved in SPOT implementation. The white paper explores the motivations behind the adoption of SPOTs, along with the strategies…

Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) of all degree-seeking undergraduate students at the City University of New York (CUNY) are adult learners--students over the age of 25. These students are juggling an outsized share of family and work responsibilities compared to the traditional 18-year-old freshman. They are much more likely to be among the 31…

The school calendar contains national data on the length of the school year, the start and the end dates of each school year, the timing and length of school holidays and the number of school days. Key points are illustrated by comparative figures. The information is available for 38 countries covering both primary and general secondary education.…

While research supports later start times for secondary schools, there is little evidence regarding start times for elementary schools. We address this gap with a statewide examination of elementary schools and a quasi-experimental analysis of an urban district that recently changed its elementary start times. We find that earlier start times…

Educational reform thinking is plagued with contradictions. Scheduling, the structure of the school day, the length of school year and pedagogic practices in general, although moderately successful, are frequently defined by mantras and rationales out of step with current research or anchored on educational myth. This duality of educational…

Use of education finance data is ubiquitous. Yet, because the academic calendar circumscribes two calendar years, researchers have linked the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to three different dates: fall, spring, and academic fiscal years. We demonstrate that linking the CPI to these different academic years results in identifying different trends in…

COVID-19 is laying bare two realities in education. Over the past several decades, is has been warned that schools are not making the most of the time they have with students. Despite those warnings, little has changed. Additionally, the school calendar is not friendly to working families. As the education community plans for the upcoming school…

A challenge at the heart of personalized competency-based education (PCBE) is grouping and scheduling students according to their learning needs rather than their age. With this guidebook, you'll take a deep dive into the why and how of these foundational PCBE components. Gain clear guidance for gathering standards-based data and then using the…

This resource provides an overview of state instructional time requirements for kindergarten through 12th grade--including days or hours/minutes per year, hours/minutes per day, and start and/or finish date parameters where they exist in state law. Education Commission of the States researched the requirements in state statute and administrative…

This resource provides an overview of state instructional time requirements for kindergarten through 12th grade--including days or hours/minutes per year, hours/minutes per day, and start and/or finish date parameters where they exist in state law. Education Commission of the States researched the requirements in state statute and administrative…

Regions with a lengthy summer break can create negative outcomes for learners; this problem is referred to as summer learning loss, summer learning gap, or summer slide. Summer learning loss is loss of academic knowledge and skill that accumulates over the break from school. When students return to school after the summer break, teachers need to…