Tennessee Diploma Project More credit earning

opportunities Instructional time

optimization College preparation

*To prepare students to meet the challenges of the Tennessee Diploma Project

*To provide opportunities for worthwhile electives *To provide timely remediation opportunities *To provide greater in depth study in accelerated courses *To maintain sound instructional program and the integrity of

academic work *To provide a quality program without increasing staff size *To increase student learning opportunities without overloading

them *To maximize instructional time *To provide time for ACT support for all levels of students *To ensure adequate time for EOC preparation *To protect students from class loads that are so intensive that

there is no time for extra-curricular pursuits and/or that academic performance suffers

• *Daily planning time for teachers• *Manageable teacher load and class

size• *Number of preparations for teachers

• and students

• *Staffing/budget• *Adequate course choices for students

Straight 7 – demanding on students and teachers, load is too great, least instructional time

Rotating 7 – total load is too great, confusing

Block – cannot staff, do we really want 95 minute class periods?

6 periods w/ blocked 4th – arbitrary assignment of block, student load is still 7

Straight 7Cons:

 • Less instructional time than

any other schedule (47 min/class)

• Shorter planning for teachers

• Extra class change

• 6 class presentations per day for teachers

• Students carry up to 7 classes at the same time

Pros:

 • 7 credits for students

(graduation requirements, elective choice, enrichment, remediation)

• Smaller classes (on an average; not every teacher)

• Planning for teachers daily

• Daily drill and practice for all classes

6 periods w/block 4th

6 periods w/block 4thPros:

 • 7 credits for students

• 53 minutes; 90 minutes

• Instructional time is similar to current schedule, except the blocked period

• Less wasted time in 4th period (the blocked period)

• Meet 6 periods a day, like now

• # of class changes same as now

Cons:

 • Blocking the period not the

class (arbitrary)

• If blocked by semester, tested courses could be over in December (May testing)

• If blocked every other day, students would still carry 7 classes at a time

4 x 4 Block

4 x 4 BlockPros:

 • 8 credits possible

• Less wasted time with class change

• Students carry 4 classes in a semester if you block by semester

Cons:

 • Class size will be higher

without increased staff

• If you block every other day, students carry 8 classes at a time

• Some courses need full year AND everyday

• Testing concerns

• 95 minute classes not optimal for teaching/learning

12

PeriodsPeriods70 min. 70 min.

eacheach

FallFall12 Weeks12 WeeksAug-NovAug-Nov

WinterWinter12 Weeks12 WeeksNov-FebNov-Feb

SpringSpring12 Weeks12 WeeksFeb-MayFeb-May

1st1st 11 66 1111

2nd2nd 22 77 1212

3rd3rd 33 88 1313

4th4th 44 99 1414

5th5th 55 1010 1515

2.5 2.5 CreditsCredits

2.5 2.5 CreditsCredits

2.5 2.5 CreditsCredits

7.5 Total Credits7.5 Total Credits

7.5 credits 5 classes per day, 70 minutes, 3 trimesters/year Class size will change little - 1 to 2 students per

class Students carry 5 classes at a time Schedules change every 12 weeks Potential to expand some classes to 3 trimesters Potential to add trimester enrichment or

support classes Fewer class changes No staffing increase

Additional electives Uniform pacing guides Common assessments Some classes will be 2 trimesters versus 3

trimesters Remedial courses, repeat courses Teacher training for longer class period Teacher training for teaching for retention

Calculus Statistics Labs for some Sciences Exam preps for some AP’s Scientific Research/Robotics emphasis Conversation Labs for Foreign Languages Foreign Language International Business Integrated Math I, II, III AP Music Theory AP Comparative Government

Trimesters offer a richer experience for higher achieving students.

More exposure to a wide range of offerings. Advanced Placement classes could span 3 trimesters. Longer class periods lead to deeper investigation of

topics and ideas.

Trimesters offer lower achieving students more opportunity for immediate remediation.

Extend challenging courses to 3 trimesters Academic support class for struggling students Timely repeat of failed trimesters.

- Each student is different and has different interests and needs

- Students can explore interests outside of new graduation requirements (additional years of foreign language, fine arts, C&T)

*Report Cards will come out three times per year; three interim reports

*Parent-teacher conferences will be three times per year instead of two

*Exams will occur three times per year *All SCS calendars and holidays will be

the same

*Regular attendance will be more important than ever

*Students may have a break between two semesters of a course

*Students may have different teachers in two semesters of a course

- The results of the studies “do not offer great support for the theory of significant regression caused by long breaks.” – See Allinder et al. Effects of Summer Break on Math and Spelling Performance as a Function of Grade Level. The Elementary School Journal. Vol. 92, no 4, 1992.

- Results from the studies show that retention loss over a trimester will equate to retention loss experienced over a two week vacation period, such as Christmas break. (See NASSP Bulletin, March 1997)

*There is little empirical data (lumps block and trimester); mostly it is anecdotal. Positive or negative outcomes are due mainly to teacher use of the instructional time (NASSP, 2003; ASCD, 2005) and teacher effectiveness (Darling-Hammond, 2000).

*Example: Two high schools in Tennessee and EOC scores

*Example: Michigan high school and ACT improvement

English 9

(1)

English 9

(2)

Wellness(1)

Biology(1)

Biology

(2)

World Geog.

OrWorld History

(1)

Alg. I(1)

Alg. I(2)

Foreign Lang.

I(1)

Foreign

Lang. I(2)

Wellness(2)

Fine Art(1)

WorldGeog.

Or WorldHistory

(2)

English 10(1)

English 10(2)

Chem.(1)

Chem.(2)

PE(1)

Geom.(1)

Geom.(2)

Alg. II(1)

Foreign Lang.

II(1)

Foreign Lang.

II(2)

Elective

Focus(1)

Elective

Focus(2)

English 12(1)

English

12(2)

Fine Art(2)

Personal

Finance

(1)

Amer.Gov’t(1)

Econ.(1)

Elective

Focus(5)

Elective

Focus(6)

English 11(1)

English II

(2)

ACTPrep

Physics or

Bio. II(1)

Physics or

Bio. II(2)

Alg. II(2)

Adv. Alg.& TrigOr

Pre-Calc.

Adv. Alg.& TrigOr

Pre-Calc.

U.S.History

(1)

U.S. History

(2)

Elective Focus

(3)

Elective

Focus(4)

9TH 10TH 11TH 12TH

1

2

3

4

5

Trimester – 4 Year PlanStandard Schedule

WorldGeog.

OrWorldHistory

(1)

English 9

(1)

English 9

(2)

Wellness(1)

Honors Biology

(1)

Honors Biology

(2)

Honors Geom.

(1)

HonorsGeom.

(2)

Honors Alg. II

(1)

Foreign Lang.

I(1)

Foreign

Lang. I(2)

Fine Art(1)

FineArt (2)

WorldGeog.

OrWorldHistory

(2)

PE(1)

English 10(1)

English 10(2)

Honors Chem.

(1)

HonorsChem.

(2)

HonorsAlg. II

(2)

HonorsPre-Cal

(1)

HonorsPre-Cal

(2)

Foreign Lang. II

(1)

Foreign Lang. II

(2)

Health Science

Ed.(1)

Health Science

Ed.(2)

Wellness

(2)

English 12(1)

English

12(2)

Anat.&

Phys.(2)

AP Physic

s(1)

APPhysic

s(2)

APPhysic

s(3)

APStats.

(1)

APStats(2)

APStats(3)

Amer.Gov’t(1)

Econ.(1)

Anat.&

Phys.(1)

Biomed

App.(1)

Biomed

App.(2)

English 11(1)

English 11(2)

APBiology

(1)

AP Biology

(2)

APBiology(3)

APCalc.(1)

AP Calc.(2)

APCalc.(3)

Personal

Finance(1)

U.S.History

(1)

U.S. Histor

y(2)

ACTPREP

Diagn.Med.(1)

Diagn.

Med.(2)

9TH 10TH 11TH 12TH

1

2

3

4

5

Trimester – 4 Year PlanPre-Med (Science/Math/Health Science)