This report describes the use of a model to compare the costs of two alternatives: initiation of a K-5, 45-15 year-round school, or the construction of an elementary school building in the Annville-Cleona, Pennsylvania, school district. The results of the analysis indicated that the initiation of a 45-15 year round plan would save the district…

This document describes the development and implementation of a year-round school program for the Gresham, Oregon, elementary school district. The 45-15 plan, which divides students into four groups and gives each group a three week vacation after every 45 class days, is modeled after the Valley View 45-15 Plan. The plan was initiated after…

The Joint Committee was directed to study (1) the four quarter system for public schools; (2) other variations and adaptations of a 12-month school year, including the feasibility of a State supported, tuition-free, summer educational and recreational program; and (3) educational, vocational, and recreational programs, supported by fees or…

This annotated bibliography is a selected listing of 77 materials in four categories: (1) books, pamphlets, articles, and conference papers; (2) documents and reports; (3) theses and abstracts; and (4) filmstrips and bibliographies. Those items available through ERIC are indicated. (Author)

Colleges exist to meet the needs of students. Today's students are constrained by credit hours, requirements, and inflexibility in response to individual problems such as long illnesses. The flexible all-year curriculum, by permitting continuous student progress, would help the institution adapt to the needs of the individual. (Author/BP)

In response to the educational reform movement, argues that increasing instruction and learning time is effectively dependent on how the time is utilized and that mechanical increases in time may not result in significant academic achievement increases. (SRT)

Reviews studies of school time and learning and asserts that there is considerable variation in how existing time is used and that inconsistent effects for time are often found. Argues, therefore, that increasing the school term will not necessarily increase student achievement. (KH)

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…

Argues that year-round schools make good business sense by providing (1) a more efficient use of capital investments, (2) an alleviation of uneconomical and undesirable peaks in working and recreation, and (3) a more sensible way of looking at teacher salaries. (JF)

Describes a plan that overcomes two serious problems of year-round schools: (1) the difficulty of providing individualized continuous instruction and (2) parental rebellion. (Author)

Recommendations of the National Commission on Excellence in Education are reviewed. The appropriate place of various subjects in the curriculum, the possibility of a longer school year, and alternative means of paying teachers are also considered. (PP)

The school dropout problem in states that have a high percentage of at-risk students is analyzed, with special attention to Black and Hispanic students. Emphasis is placed on the probable effects of policies dealing with increased academic standards, the extended school day, and the extended school year. (JD)

Criticizes the emphasis of sports over academics at all levels of schooling, and the short length of the U.S. school year compared to that of other countries. Advocates minimum academic standards as a prerequisite for athletic participation, and students' choice of a college based on graduation rates rather than athletic achievement. (BC)

Since 1991, the National Education Commission on Time and Learning has been examining the quality and adequacy of student learning time. Innovations being considered address provision of additional learning opportunities, children's well-being, employee productivity concerns, and efficient use of school facilities. Promising practices include the…

Year-round education (YRE) has been brought increasingly to the forefront of the debate over educational reform. Although the results of year-round school studies are mixed, three specific elements are evident in successful programs--reduced curriculum review, increased instructional time, and improved student outcomes. This report introduces the…