In Boone, North Carolina, Watauga High School has developed an alternative schedule that blends traditional and block schedules. This composite schedule originated in the late 1990s when their faculty members and administrators were struggling to determine if the school should change to a full block schedule. The board of education encouraged…

Significant attention and resources have been focused on reforming high schools to enhance graduation rates. The research literature supports the following practices: (1) For struggling students, accurate identification and intensive instructional, monitoring, and counseling support; (2) For 9th graders, transition activities, personalization, and…

This article reviews pertinent research literature that documents the efficacy of alternative scheduling formats in U.S. secondary schools since the late 1990s. Gains attributed to alternative scheduling formats are discussed by subject area. Common educational dilemmas occasioned by a change to alternative school scheduling are outlined and…

This study examined quantitatively the effects of varying retention intervals (RI) within a 4 X 4 block schedule on knowledge retention of Algebra 2 skills and concepts. Specifically, the study contrasted the mean scores of students having an RI of 0, 8, and 12 months on a pre-review, post-review, and end-of-course test in precalculus. The study…

This is a followup study of teacher perceptions regarding block scheduling. The original study was done in 1996 at a small city high school in a predominantly rural county in Ohio. At that time, lack of communication was found to be the central theme in the resistance that emerged. This paper is based on data from written responses to open-ended…

This paper examines how block scheduling affects teachers' perceptions of school climate. It is based on information taken from 21 high schools in a southern state that used 4X4 block scheduling. Data were collected through interviews, a survey instrument that measured teacher perceptions of climate, and focus groups. Based on results from the…

Teachers at four block-scheduled schools in the Huntington Beach (California) Union High School District were asked whether the change yielded differences in instructional practices, assessment techniques, social interaction, curriculum, and school management. Responses to an (anonymous) Likert scale indicate that block scheduling allows teachers…

Despite considerable documentation and implementation of block scheduling, there is little evidence that it achieves an increase in student understanding of subject material. Field research that examined seventh-grade math achievement scores in block scheduled and regular schools showed that none of the anticipated results were realized regarding…

Grades from 112 students in 3 business courses integrated in block format were compared with those of 151 other business majors. High achievers did not self-select into blocks. Grading rigor did not suffer and grades were more correlated in block presentation, possibly because of content integration. (Contains 18 references.) (SK)

Block schedules offer many advantages, including increased usable instructional time, increased opportunities to use alternative instructional strategies, and fewer homework assignments and class changes for students. Challenges include maintaining student attention, providing balanced schedules, retaining major concepts, and accommodating…

Describes staff development components for veteran and beginning teachers planning to teach in blocked classes. Teachers need training and practice in information-sharing methods, learning-theory applications, assessment strategies, student mastery, curriculum mapping and integration, classroom organization, and lesson development. Block…

Examines challenges that high school department chairpersons faced while changing to a 4 x 4 block schedule. Finds that chairpersons experienced multiple learning curves and increased tensions between departmental and teaching responsibilities, problems exacerbated by reduced release time. Recommends aligning job descriptions with procedures,…

Argues that a unique combination of (1) the Copernican Plan for block scheduling; (2) the application of Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences; and (3) John Dewey's basic ideas about process create a teacher training program in which mastery is an achievable goal. Describes each component and illustrates how each has worked in one…

Block scheduling can help high school principals become staff-development leaders. It gives teachers more time to help individual students and contributes to improved achievement, attendance, and graduation rates. This paper describes the results of research on block scheduling in urban high schools and concludes that block scheduling can support…

Investigated the effects of a 4 X 4 block scheduling program on a variety of student measures in a middle school with 355 block-scheduled students, some of whom were in high school at the time of the study. Results of the block scheduling were generally consistent with existing literature and generally positive. (SLD)