School Schedules

Start times. Snow days. Year-round schooling. Block scheduling. Four-day weeks. Get research and insights into school calendars

Explainer

Year-Round Schooling Explained
Get the facts about year-round schooling, including pros and cons, statistics, and key definitions.
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School & District Management From Our Research Center No More Snow Days, Thanks to Remote Learning? Not Everyone Agrees
An increasing number of schools are replacing snow days with remote learning, but some plan to stick with the snow day tradition for now.
Mark Lieberman, November 23, 2020
5 min read
Austin Beutner, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, takes questions at a news conference in March. The district, the second largest in the country, recently announced it would start the school year with full-time remote learning.
Austin Beutner, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District, takes questions at a news conference in March. The district, the second largest in the country, recently announced it would start the school year with full-time remote learning.
AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File
School & District Management Rising Wave of Districts Sticking With Full-Time Remote Learning
A growing number of schools will return to full-time remote learning in the 2020-21 school year, defying pressure from federal leaders.
Mark Lieberman, July 15, 2020
8 min read
School & District Management Download Building a School Schedule for the Pandemic: A Downloadable Guide
Ideas for how to craft a school schedule that allows for in-person instruction while managing the risk of COVID-19 exposure & transmission.
Laura Baker, June 25, 2020
1 min read
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School & District Management Building a Schedule Around Student Rotations
A closer look at planning for the logistics behind assigning groups of students to come to school on a rotating basis.
Denisa R. Superville, June 24, 2020
7 min read
BRIC ARCHIVE
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School & District Management Serving Students Who Can't—or Won't—Return to School
Students with serious health concerns and those with other specialized needs may opt out of returning to school. What schools can do to keep serving them.
Denisa R. Superville, June 24, 2020
2 min read
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School & District Management Is It Time to Reconsider the Year-Round School Schedule?
This scheduling option can help schools with large enrollments manage space constraints and provide built-in breaks for remediation.
Denisa R. Superville, June 24, 2020
5 min read
Teacher Danielle Elliot wears a face mask while speaking to Hayden A. while Rayonna A., Lauren T., Alice C. and Luciano M. sit at an appropriate social distance during an arts and crafts class at Chase Avenue School in El Cajon, Calif.
Teacher Danielle Elliot wears a face mask while speaking to Hayden A. while Rayonna A., Lauren T., Alice C. and Luciano M. sit at an appropriate social distance during an arts and crafts class at Chase Avenue School in El Cajon, Calif.
Ariana Drehsler for Education Week
School Climate & Safety Pulling Off a Regular School Schedule—With Modifications—in the Pandemic
In communities where cases of COVID-19 remain low, schools can plan for students to be in classrooms every day with some important modifications. Understand the pros and the cons.
Denisa R. Superville, June 24, 2020
8 min read
Students walk into a classroom while keeping their distance as their teacher, Danielle Elliot, waits outside at Chase Avenue School in El Cajon, Calif.
Students walk into a classroom while keeping their distance as their teacher, Danielle Elliot, waits outside at Chase Avenue School in El Cajon, Calif.
Ariana Drehsler for Education Week
School & District Management Hybrid School Schedules: More Flexibility; Big Logistical Challenges
A mix of in-school & online learning is how districts are adhering to social distancing requirements & providing face-to-face instruction.
Denisa R. Superville, June 24, 2020
10 min read
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Stephanie Shafer for Education Week
School & District Management Explainer Scheduling the COVID-19 School Year
Explore options for building a calendar, choosing a schedule, and deploying teachers and staff to maximize student learning safely.
June 24, 2020
4 min read
Special Report How We Go Back to School
To help school leaders navigate complex decisions around reopenings, Education Week explores the options for returning to school this fall.
June 11, 2020
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School & District Management 6 Ways to Bring Students and Staff Back to Schools
Here are six models for how to operate your schools within social distancing requirements and health and safety requirements.
Madeline Will, June 10, 2020
6 min read
Teacher Jane Cooper uses a 2-meter (just over 6 feet) ruler and pipe to check seat spacings in her classroom at Lostock Hall Primary School in Poynton, England.
Teacher Jane Cooper uses a 2-meter (just over 6 feet) ruler and pipe to check seat spacings in her classroom at Lostock Hall Primary School in Poynton, England.
AP Photo/Jon Super
Student Well-Being & Movement The New Routines for Students When Schools Reopen
Ideas for how to overhaul the routines of the traditional school day for students, from ditching lockers to providing meals in classrooms.
Madeline Will, June 10, 2020
6 min read
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Stephanie Shafer for Education Week
School & District Management Explainer The Socially Distanced School Day
Classrooms. Hallways. Extracurriculars. Every facet of the school day will have to be fundamentally altered when students return to school.
Madeline Will, June 10, 2020
4 min read
School & District Management 6 Big Barriers to Restructuring School Schedules
Before districts can overhaul a traditional school schedule, they're likely to face a wide variety of obstacles.
Mark Lieberman, February 25, 2020
6 min read