The effects of block scheduling on academic achievement of high schools students

The Effects of Block Scheduling on the Academic

Achievement of High Schools Students

Abstract

No Child Left Behind mandates placed tremendous pressure on schools throughout the country to succeed in helping our students achieve School leaders are spending time and money to find ways to improve their schools . Many leaders have chosen to restructure their everyday scheduling format . Schools need to explore if this is beneficial or not .The purpose of this study is to determine if block scheduling has an effect on student achievement of high school students who are enrolled

br in block scheduling classes versus those enrolled in traditional classes . The block format will consist of four 90-minute classes . The traditional format will consist of six 50 minutes classes . To examine student achievement , the researcher will explore three critical areas They are academic achievement , student discipline , and student attendance . The sample population will consist of students , teachers and administrators . The students of this population will be students enrolled at a high school that uses the block format and students enrolled at a high school that uses the traditional format . To examine academic achievement , only students who have completed their 11th grade year and taken the social studies portion of the Georgia High School Graduation Test will be used . To examine discipline and attendance , the teachers , administrators and some students will be randomly selected The case study will consist of interview questionnaires and data from the students ' records to determine if there is a difference with block scheduling compared to traditional scheduling . The research will explain and explore if block scheduling versus traditional scheduling is a wise decision for school leaders throughout the country

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Statement of Problem

It is no secret that schools in the United States have come under much fire lately for their failure to meet the basic educational needs of students . Globally , students in the United States lag far behind those of other countries . Education reform is a catch phrase on the lips of politicians and educational researchers alike

Dobbs reports that in a global math skills test , the United States ranked 24th out of 29 wealthy , industrialized countries . Approximately 5500 students in 262 high schools were studied their poor performance suggests a widening gap between US students and their counterparts in Europe and Asia (Dobbs , M , 2004 . In addition an International Math Science Study reported the high school seniors were out-performed by 90 of other tested nations in math and by 76 in science (Hodges , 2003 In reading , students are equally unprepared . The Alliance for Excellent Education reports that nearly 6 million middle and high school students do not read at grade level . In addition , over half the students entering college scored at unacceptable levels on college entrance exams in reading , and these trends seem to cross gender and racial lines (Aratani , 2006

The current debate about school reform came in response to the report , A Nation at Risk (2004 ) which made the above statistics and their implications public to the nation . The National Commission on Excellence in Education remarked that if a foreign power had attempted to impose our current education performance on any nation , it would have been deemed an act of war . In a nutshell , schools in America were characterized as failed systems (Finn , 1997

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCBLA ) by the current Bush Administration is one of the

most groundbreaking educational reforms in years . Approved by Congress in December 2001 and signed into law on January 8 , 2002 , this legislation expanded the federal government 's role in the operation of public schools and imposed new obligations on all school districts

The NCLBA 's basic reform principles feature stronger accountability of the schools , administrators and teachers , increased flexibility and local control of funds from the federal government , expanded options for parents in choosing schools , and an increased emphasis on successful teaching methods (No Child Left Behind Act , 2001 . Policymakers are also accountable not just for the enhanced consumer satisfaction of the parents who have an active role in school choice , but also for the overall improvement of opportunity and performance for students who have only a limited role in school choice (Leckrone Griffith , 2006

To combat these downward trends and to provide for the new obligations and standards in the NCLBA , public education reform has turned to a revision of the structure of the school day . This included changing the schedules from a traditional six or seven period day which consisted of 45 to 55 minute classes that met daily for an entire school year to a block schedule . Block schedules take many forms , but basically , the class times per period doubles to about 90 minutes each and the number of classes taken is reduced from six or seven to four per semester

Statement of Purpose

Since the trend toward block scheduling began several years ago , and reports have been mixed as to whether block scheduling has been beneficial or deleterious in solving some of the problems of US high schools . Many factors are involved when it comes to student achievement . These include , among other things , school climate teaching practices , familial support , motivation and resources . This study seeks to determine the effectives of block scheduling on the academic performance of high school students with regard to the discipline , attendance and test scores

Definitions

For the purposes of this study , the following definitions will be used

4 x 4 Block Scheduling - Four classes , approximately ninety minutes in length , every day for the first semester . Four completely different classes , again ninety minutes in length , every day for the second semester . Each class equals one credit (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling , 1996

A /B Block Scheduling - Four classes , approximately ninety minutes in length , meeting every other day "A " days ) for an entire school year Four completely different classes , again ninety minutes in length meeting on alternate days "B " days ) for an entire year . Each class equals one credit (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling , 1996

Combination Block Schedule - A combination of 4 x 4 and A /B block schedules (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling , 1996

Flexible Schedule - A combination of 4 x 4 and A /B block schedules , but class length varies from day to day . One example : On three out of every five days throughout the school year , each class could be 90 minutes in length . On the other two days , designated as Advisement /Resource Days each class is 75 minutes in length . An Advisement /Resource Hour is 60 minutes in length (The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling , 1996

Traditional Format - six (or more ) 50-minutes classes per day

FMS - the Flexible Modular System designed by J . Lloyd Trump which introduced alternative scheduling options and provided for differing times for classes depending on the needs of the student and the content of the particular course

GHSGT - The Georgia High School Graduation Test which must be passed by all seniors in public high schools in Georgia

Carnegie Unit - 120 hours of class or contact time with an instructor over the course of a year at the secondary school level

No Child Left Behind Act - NCLBA , 2001 legislation which tightened federal control over the standards and processes of American public schools

1 .4 Assumptions of the Study

This study assumes that all schools and students and teachers polled are enrolled or teaching in schools that follow the typical formats discussed above , that they have no previously diagnosed mental disabilities or learning problems and that the school is not participating in any additional enrichment programs which may distort the results of the study

1 .5 Significance of the Study

This study is important for anyone interested in improving education in American high schools . This study is significant in that it provides to the body of research that determine a ) if the block scheduling concept is perceived by teachers and students as efficient and advantageous and b ) if the block scheduling concept is actually responsible for improved academic achievement based upon variable factors of attendance disciplinary records , and achievement test scores

1 .6 Limitations of the Study

This study is limited by the existence of several variables which cannot be tested by these researchers or that cannot be completely controlled First , the research obtained is limited to those participants who willingly elect to complete the surveys and questionnaires in their entirety . All personal data to be collected is limited by the veracity of the respondents . Because of the small scope of the research , it is difficult to statistically proportion the number of respondents from necessary categories such as gender , race , income level , and college plans . It can also not take into account existing problems in the schools unrelated to scheduling such as teacher turnover , violence , etc

1 .7 Summary

The problems faced by high schools in the United States are wide-ranging and diverse . No one change will provide an instant cure for all that ails the education system . The NCLBA mandates and the general demise of educational achievement has prompted several new methods of teaching administrating and funding education in America . The issue of scheduling may hold promise as to improving some aspects of academic performance

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW of the LITERATURE

2 .1 Historical Background of Block Scheduling

Students of the 20th century spent nearly all of their high school time in 45 to 55 minute class periods , six or seven classes a day . During the 1960s , some experimental ideas emerged , notable the model of J Lloyd Trump , who proposed creating classes of varying lengths depending upon the course . Science courses with lab requirements could meet for 100 minutes while lectures could be scheduled for 40 minutes and tutorials for 20 minutes . This system was called the Flexible Modular System (FMS . Later , a similar type of scheduling was dubbed the Copernican Plan which resulted in a reported benefit of improved graduation rates (Carroll , 1995 . The plan gives students an extra chance each year to pass a semester class that they may have failed

In 1984 , John Goodlad warned education leaders that the traditional school structure spends way too much time on six or seven class changes and does not allow for individualized instruction , for extended laboratory work , or for remediation and enrichment (Queen , 2000 Eventually , the extreme flexibility of time produced discipline issues scheduling headaches and teacher planning problems , and FMS 's popularity began to wane (Dobbs , W , 1998 ) theless , the importance of this system has not been overlooked , and it is generally regarded as the precursor to the modern block scheduling system

Tradition has always played a role in high school scheduling . The Carnegie Unit became a standard for determining a students required yearly course load . Most critics of the traditional system likened the Carnegie Unit to simply amassed seat time (Canady and Rettig , 1995 This point was reiterated in the National Education Commission on Time and Learning 's publication of A Prisoner of Time . It states that

Learning in America is a prisoner of time . For the past 150 years American public schools have held time constant and let learning vary The rule , only rarely voiced , is simple : learn what you can in the time we make available . It should surprise no one that some bright hardworking students do reasonably well . Everyone else - from the typical student to the dropout - runs into trouble . Time is learning 's warden (National Education Commission on Time and Learning , 1994 ,

br 7

The pace is grueling (Irmsher , 1996 . A student will spend nearly seven hours a day in seven to nine locations pursuing seven to nine different lessons and activities which produces an impersonal and inefficient approach to instruction . The pace is grueling (Irmsher 1996

Unfortunately , many administrators , teachers and parents resisted any type of change to the system that they had experienced themselves . This resistance was challenged with the report A Nation At Rise was published in 1983 which revealed the American educational system was not up to par with international systems . Thus , restructuring schools became a focus in improving educational achievement (Queen , 2000

2 .2 Summary of Current Knowledge and Theory Relevant to Block Scheduling

2 .2 .1 Overview of Perceived Advantages to Block Scheduling

Several researchers (Dobbs , W , 1998 Hurley , 1997 Zepeda , 1999 Staunton , 1997 Staunton and Adams , 1997 Pisapia , and Westfall , 1997 and Eineder and Bishop , 1997 ) reported the following perceived strengths and advantages by both students and teachers to block scheduling

Increased teacher preparation time (in both teams and as individuals

Double the class time for certain core subjects such as language arts and math

Half as many students for teachers per semester

Additional elective class choice for 9th grade students more choices for upperclassmen , including options of Advanced Placement and other higher level coursework

More time for completion of labs , incorporating technology , class trips and other various applications of learned material

Improved school climate and decreased disciplinary referrals

More time to do homework and for guided practice under the direction of the teacher

Improved academic achievement by students

Ability of students to accumulate enough credits to graduate early

More one-on-one time between teachers and students

In general , surveyed students liked the block scheduling . They claimed to be getting better grades , to have time for more in-depth study , and got more attention from the teachers . They said their lives were less stressed and they liked having a fresh start each semester . Nearly all students asked said they would not want to return to the traditional schedule

One of the greatest effects of the 4 x 4 schedule is that students report having less homework . Of the 37 students interviewed , 20 said they had less homework , 7 said they had more , and 6 said they had about the same . If you don 't like the teacher , you don 't have to deal with him all year , or if you don 't like the subject . When the semester ends , it 's like a new school year . You 're not bogged down . Clearly , these students reaped academic benefits from the change to the 4 x 4 schedule . Both college preparatory and general students reported they were learning more and receiving more individual attention (Hurley , 1997 Surveyed teachers indicated that they enjoyed lecturing less and spending more time one-on-one with students . Teachers teaching in block scheduling used more of a team approach and allowed them to experiment more in the classroom (Staunton , 1997 Staunton and Adams , 1997

Teachers also reported that their teaching methods and practices changed as block scheduling was implemented . They used a wider array of strategies and activities . In one Florida study of over forty high schools on block scheduling , forty percent of the teachers reported less stress at school , one-third reported increased common planning time , and 80 percent noted that they the block schedule to their previous schedule (Deuel , 1999 . There seem to be several perceived advantages associated with block scheduling

2 .2 .2 Overview of Perceived Disadvantages to Block Scheduling

Several researchers (Dobbs , W , 1998 Hurley , 1997 Zepeda , 1999 Staunton , 1997 Staunton and Adams , 1997 Pisapia , and Westfall , 1997 and Eineder and Bishop , 1997 ) reported the following perceived weaknesses and disadvantages by both students and teachers to block scheduling

Additional costs in hiring teachers

Additional costs in adding space for teachers or the need for teachers to `travel ' which means he has no permanent classroom

Difficulty in making up work from absences because missing one day equivalent to missing two classes

Some classes clearly benefit from meeting every day (i .e . performing arts classes

Need for teachers to commit to using new teaching methods

Ninety minutes is a long time to hold the attention of students

Uneven schedules in which the harder classes all end up lumped into one semester making it too difficult and the next semester too easy

The possibility that there will be a long gap in between sequential courses if they are not taken in back-to-back semesters

The primary disadvantage given by surveyed students is that the classes are too long . Students particularly gave this as a weakness when their teachers lectured for nearly all of the time period . Others noted that bad classes are really bad when they are held for 90 minutes (Hurley , 1997

Surveyed teachers voiced concerns about interruptions of sequential material from one semester to the next and consistency issues with students . However , teacher opinion seemed to be mixed about this issue Some foreign language teachers feared a sequential break between levels (Scheduling Foreign Languages on the Block , 1998 . Other researchers found that some schools actually showed an increase in foreign language test scores because students could take level I and level II courses in back-to-back semesters (Schoenstein , 1996 . Some teachers felt more comfortable with the lecture approach and had little comfort with experimentation of teaching methods (Staunton , 1997 Staunton and Adams 1997

2 .2 .3 Actual Advantages to Block Scheduling via Research Studies

A Temple University study found that block scheduling had distinct advantages in academic achievement . Students who made the honor roll at the three schools studied rose from 22 to 31 . SAT scores rose by an average of 14 points . In addition , the number of detentions declined while student attendance increased (Evans , Tokarczyk and Rice , 2000

Most recently , a 2006 study indicated a variety of advantages to block scheduling . Five Connecticut high schools were studied to determine what , if any , positive outcomes would result . The researchers used test scores and surveys as a means of data collection from school guidance counselors , teachers , administrators and students . The study found that gains in math rose significantly over a two year period , achievement test score averages rose in a statistically significant manner over three years , and PSAT and SAT scores increased within the first three years but then leveled off (Wilcox , 2006 . This study is one of the few longitudinal studies available

This study also stressed the importance of time as a factor in determining the success of block scheduling . Almost all of the results which indicated significant differences were shown after two or more years (Wilcox , 2006 . Clearly some time is necessary in for students and teachers to become accustomed to the changes . Some of the school studies Wilcox (2006 ) examined had been operating on a block schedule for as long as ten years . Unfortunately , not all the schools had baseline data for years before the block schedule or had opened with a block schedule . The study further stresses the level of support by the staff can be a determining factor as to the success of any type of block scheduling , which seems to correlate , at least on surface examination of the results , with training procedures and teacher confidence

2 .2 .4 Actual Disadvantages to Block Scheduling via Research Studies

A University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill study studied achievement in reading and mathematics of students in a high school which ran a tri-schedule . This schedule consisted of a traditional schedule , a 4 x 4 schedule and hybrid schedules which all operated in the same single school . The NC state mandated tests in reading , language and math were used to determine achievement . For reading and language test results there was no statistically significant difference based on the types of schedules . There was , however , a statistically significant difference in math computation subtest . The traditional schedule saw slightly higher scores in understanding and retention of mathematical computation for tenth grade students . Thus , this study supports the importance of daily instruction and contact time to student achievement in mathematics as distinct from other academic skills (Veal and Shreiber , 1999

Another study tested students in the Wilmington area of North Carolina It , too , found that students on traditional schedules scored higher on tests of algebra , English , biology and history than did students on a block schedule (Lawrence and McPherson , 2000

2 .2 .5 Studies that were Inconclusive in Determining the Efficacy of Block Scheduling in Increasing Academic Achievement

A third North Carolina study , this one undertaken by the Department of Public Instruction , compared End-Of-Course (EOC ) test scores in five areas (English I , Algebra I , Biology I , US History , and Economic , Legal and Political Systems (ELP . It sample scores from schools that operated on block schedules and on traditional schedules for 1993 to 1996 . It mentions at the outset that the first schools to adopt block schedules in NC were those that had lower achievement scores to begin with . These schools ' scores were adjusted for the purpose of this study . The overall results were inconclusive . Some blocked schools showed some improvement in some years but then lower scores in other years . At present , there are essentially no significant differences between groups of blocked and corresponding non-blocked school groups in terms of student performance in state EOC Tests (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction , 1997

Walker (2000 ) conducted a study of students in the Kansas public school system . He focused primarily in math scores with a purpose to see if students ' math scores would increase from year to year using block vs traditional scheduling . He found that while the block-scheduled schools did make better percentage gains than the traditional schools such gain was found to be insignificant when using split-plot analysis of variance . Therefore , there is not a significant measurable difference in the impact of block-scheduling or traditional scheduling on this mathematics assessment (Walker , 2000

A test conducted by the Georgia Department of Education found similar results . This study tested four types of scheduling systems (4 x 4 A /B , hybrid and traditional ) among nearly 40 ,000 students in various GA schools . Students were tested in eight subject areas (9th Grade Literature , American Literature , Algebra , Geometry , Physical Science Biology , US History and Economics . No significant differences were noted among the scheduling types , but one general comment was made that Algebra scores in all blocked schedules were slightly higher than in traditionally scheduled schools (Domaleski , 2004 . This study relied primarily on test score results

In the Spring of 2004 the mean Algebra score for students on block scheduling was 601 .78 which the mean score for those on traditional scheduling was 599 .73 . Over 73 ,000 students were tested and scores analyzed for each . In all the other subject areas , the scores were very nearly the same , and no statistically significant differences were reported (Domaleski , 2004

The reasons for the differences are not clear , but one might suggest that schools which adopted block-scheduling early were those with serious problems , behavioral and /or academic and done so as an attempt to create a positive change in those schools . Another reason might be that some schools operated on a hybrid block schedule , so even though a school is designated as a `block ' school , a student may not have taken that particular course in a block format . Another possible limitation to this study is the fact that the Spring 2004 scores were obtained before the decision to count the EOCT as 15 of the student 's grade Since the use of the EOCT as an accountability assessment likely differed among schools and systems for this administration , it should not be assumed that the motivation of all examinees in each conditions was consisten (Domaleski , 2004

2 .2 .5 Returns to a Traditional Schedule from Block Scheduling

Some districts have returned to a traditional schedule from a block schedule . According to Canaday and Rettig (2003 , this change may be premature . In a study of over 200 Virginia schools , some of the reasons for change were less the result of poor academic performance and more a result of the following issues : The use of a flawed decision-making process to adopt a block schedule poor preparation for teaching in the block , including insufficient staff development and /or inattention to course pacing unclear goals , overpromising or not meeting promises made and poor scheduling decisions in the adoption phase (Canada and Rettig , 2003 . Perhaps planning prior to the implementation of block scheduling would make the transition run more smoothly

2 .3 Theoretical Perspective of Present Study as Related to Literature

The present study presents a qualitative approach to determining whether the block schedule is advantageous to school systems . As the above literature review indicates , current studies are inconclusive as to whether or not block scheduling leads to an increase in test scores This study will look at additional factors of the block scheduling system in to determine if block schedule can produce positive academic outcomes directly or indirectly

2 .4 Rationale for Present Study

While the literature as a whole provides only statistically insignificant support using test scores as determinants for the academic merit of block scheduling , other variables have not been the focus of these studies . These variables include attitudes of principals teachers , parents and students , school climate , utilization of alternative teaching methods and other less tangible outcomes

Specifically , block scheduling often results in better nonacademic outcomes (e .g , positive class climate and enhanced instructional opportunities ) than does traditional scheduling . Thus , the findings from the present study that students in block scheduling perform academically as well as or slightly better than students in traditional scheduling supports the implementation of block scheduling in high school settings However , if the only goal of adopting a block scheduling program is to improve short-term student test scores , then the literature and this study are less enthusiastic (Lewis , Dugan , Winokur , and Cobb , 2005

In addition to academic advantages , some teachers claim school climate and discipline has improved as teachers spend more time with each other (O 'Neil , 1995 Short and Thayer , 1998

2 .5 Summary

Oftentimes , test scores do not tell the whole story . Schools with block scheduling may see increased achievement in places they least expected Over time , these results might translate into the academic achievement that remains ambiguous at present

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3 .1 Introduction

. The results of this study could potentially add to the body of knowledge regarding the strengths and advantages of block scheduling versus traditional scheduling . It is incredibly short-sighted to view test scores as the only indicator of improved academic achievement . As the studies above indicate , test scores are inconclusive in determining whether block scheduling is effective

However , there are two flaws here . First , only one study took into effect the factor of time on block schedule when conducting its research . This time factor gives the schools system time to settle in to and to perfect its system . Second , the studies seem to ignore other variables which can contribute to academic achievement and performance According to Magdol (1992 , the factors that contribute to academic achievement fall into the following groups : Individual , Family , Peer School , Work and Community . The school factors she isolates are Alienated Teachers , Inflexible Curricula , Lack of Counseling Services for At-Risk Students , School Transitions , Weak Administrative Support Large School District , Large School , Low Participation in Extracurricular Activities , Negative School Climate and Uninvolved Parents (Magdol , 1992

3 .2 Design of Study

This study will examine two high schools , one which uses block scheduling and one which uses traditional scheduling . Students teachers , teachers and administrators will be surveyed as to discipline issues , attendance and scores on the GHSGT in to determine if any trends evolve that correlate with these variables . Then an analysis of the advantages of block or traditional scheduling within these schools can be made

3 .3 Sample and Site

The block scheduled school used in this study is Upson-Lee High School in Thomason , Georgia . The traditionally scheduled school used in this study is Spalding High school in Griffin , Georgia . Students who have completed their eleventh grade year and who have taken the social studies component of the GHGGT will be used as the sample group

You need to talk about the geographic location and the population of these schools . If you can send me the info , I will write it in

3 .4 Methodology

3 .4 .1 Data Collection and Procedure

To examine academic achievement , student scores on the social studies portion of the GHSGT will be examined . To examine discipline and attendance , the teachers , administrators and some students will be randomly selected . To examine the difference between block and traditional scheduling , surveys and interview questionnaires will be administered to a randomly selected sample of students fitting the above criteria

Questions will be designed to illicit responses as to the advantages of block schedule and will be based upon the broad questions that follow

Research Question 1 - Has the implementation of block scheduling caused an increase in test scores of students in their final year of high school

Research Question 2 - Has the implementation of block scheduling reduced the number of student absences

Research Questions 3 - Has the implementation of block scheduling reduced the number of discipline issues (detentions , suspensions and expulsions ) of the students

The surveys and questionnaires will be delivered to the two schools administered in the method that the principal allows . The administrator or his designee will collect the surveys and questionnaires after completion

Each participant of this study will be informed prior to his participation that he is doing so voluntarily . Each participant will have the opportunity to review and sign an informed consent form prior to participating in the study . Some participants may choose to not be involved in this study . To encourage honesty in the responses , the confidentiality of each participant will be guaranteed . A portion of the informed consent statement attests to this confidentiality . No names , only codes will be used on the survey 's themselves with the code 's keys kept in a secure location

3 .4 .2 Data Analysis and Interpretation Plan

All surveys will be compiles into percentages . These percentages will be analyzed for trends among schools with and without block schedules Data will be charted and graphed where appropriate . Correlations will be drawn based on findings . A discussion and analysis of each subcomponent will be presented

3 .5 Implications

One of the biggest implications in undertaking this type of scheduling change is cost . The block schedule requires additional teachers (usually four or five ) for the same number of students . These teachers also need a place to teach , which either requires the building of additional space , the addition of modular classrooms , or the need for teachers to share classrooms (Dobbs , W , 1997

Another major implication for teachers is the need for changing teaching methods . Extended blocks allow teachers to experiment with new and creative strategies that will appeal to a variety of learning styles They are able to incorporate more technology and remediation or enrichment exercises as needed . Unfortunately , despite these opportunities , many teachers are hesitant , even fearful , of the block scheduling concept . Researchers Hackmann and Schmitt (1997 ) warn that

These large blocks .may be viewed with a great deal of apprehension by veteran teachers . A typical reaction may be "What am I going to do for that many minutes " Even though a new scheduling configuration may have unanimous faculty support as "the thing to do " teachers still must confront the daily reality of preparing creative , enriching lessons that keep students engaged academically

It seems a large part of the success for block scheduling lies in the hands of the school districts for providing adequate funding and in the administration and teachers for lending it their willingness and support (Dobbs , W , 1998 .The following is a suggested list of criteria that change agents might want to consider

Utilization of effective research and practice

Inclusion of appropriate assessment plan and tools

Collaboration within the school community of administration , staff , and peers as appropriate

Compliance with federal , state , and local laws , regulatory agency rules board policies and regulations , and negotiated employee agreements

Assurance of a reasonable level of awareness and support within the school district community , including the Board of Education and others with an interest in the decision

Analysis of fiscal impact

(The Change Process and Alternative Scheduling , 1996

Finally , the utilization of block scheduling may be a determining factor in the legislated school choice options of parents in Georgia . The A Education Reform Act was passed by the Georgia General Assembly and signed into law by Governor Barnes in 2000 . Its purpose was to significantly alter the management of education in Georgia . School performance , student achievement , and the efficient utilization of resources were its chief concerns and stakeholders at all levels were involved in this process and accountable for its results . Parents may request student transfers for achievement or overcrowding reasons (HB1187 , 2000 . Scheduling decisions may certainly affect the rights of parents to exercise this choice 3 .6 Summary

In to become completely informed as to the effects of block scheduling on academic performance , more studies will have to be conducted . Walker (2000 , recommends the following areas of study be conducted

Longitudinal studies of climate issues over extended periods of time are needed

Studies of student behavior over extended periods of time in multiple schools are recommended

Studies of individual subject areas should be expanded

More study is necessary concerning the effectiveness of two-day versus four or five-day block-schedules

Studies should be conducted to determine the effects of block scheduling on teaching behavior

Finally , the area of greatest need is the study of individual student 's achievement over extended periods of time

Rarely does a problem as large as education have one simple solution Oftentimes , solutions emerge over time and in conjunction with many other variables . Such is the case with block scheduling . In its short tenure , few studies are conclusive with regard to its test scores However , with the examination of different variables , some insight into the situation may be helpful . Education is constantly evolving one thing is for certain - everyone must be willing to change with it for the good of each generation of students

CHAPTER FOUR

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