School Calendar Reform Learning in All Seasons

by Ballinger, Charles; Kneese, Carolyn

• ISBN13: 9781578862788
• ISBN10: 1578862787
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-05-19
• Publisher: R&L Education

Summary

There is a multiplicity of efforts to reform and restructure K-12 education. To date, however, reform efforts have yielded little significant change, in effect maintaining a status quo. Here, the authors urge the nation's citizenry to focus on the importance of education and to accept change as required to improve the overall learning of students.

Author Biography

Charles Ballinger serves as executive director emeritus of the National Association for Year-Round Education Carolyn Kneese is a associate professor of educational administration at Texas A&M University-Commerce

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	vii
Introduction	ix
Part I: The Concept of Year-Round Education and Calendar Modification
1 A Rationale for Modifying the Traditional School Calendar	3	(30)
The Impetus for Change	6	(2)
Rationale for Single-Track, Balanced Calendars	8	(2)
Reasons Given to Avoid Calendar Modification	10	(3)
Rationale for Multiple-Track Year-Round Education	13	(8)
Concerns of Those Hesitant About Implementation of Multi-Track	21	(8)
The Process of Decision Making Leading to Implementation of Multi-Track Year-Round Education	29	(1)
Selecting an Appropriate Means of Meeting the Problem of Overcrowding	29	(4)
2 Efforts to Modify the Calendar: Past, Present, and Future	33	(16)
Early Attempts at Calendar Modification	33	(1)
Beginnings of Year-Round Education	34	(4)
Year-Round Education Today	38	(1)
Organizing the Year-Round Movement	39	(1)
Year-Round Education in Other Countries	40	(1)
The Future of Year-Round Education	41	(8)
3 Rethinking the School Year: Flexibility in the Annual Calendar	49	(28)
The Three Strands of Year-Round Education	52	(1)
Single-Track	52	(8)
Multiple-Track (Multi-Track)	60	(9)
Extended Year	69	(1)
Intersessions	70	(2)
Synchronizing Curriculum Offerings With Calendar Choice	72	(5)
4 Frequently Asked Questions About Calendar Modification and Year-Round Education	77	(56)
Calendars	77	(6)
Implementation and Process	83	(13)
Community Concerns	96	(12)
Program Issues	108	(12)
Savings/Costs	120	(4)
Research/History/Rationale	124	(9)
Part II: Evaluating the Program
5 Evaluating the Program and Research Findings	133	(40)
Evaluation in Education	133	(1)
Evaluating Programs	134	(2)
Evaluating Student Academic Performance	136	(4)
The Single-Track/Balanced Calendar	140	(7)
The Multi-Track Calendar	147	(17)
The Extended-Year Calendar	164	(9)
6 A Dialogue for School Reform	173	(28)
Policy Implications	173	(8)
Meeting the Agenda of School Reform	181	(20)
7 Conclusion: A Promising Solution	201	(6)
Appendixes
A Single-Track/Balanced Calendar
Comparison of Achievement of Year-Round and Traditional Calendars by Inferential Statistics	207	(5)
Comparison of Achievement of Year-Round and Traditional Calendars by Descriptive Statistics	212	(3)
B Multi-Track Calendar
Comparison of Achievement of Year-Round and Traditional Calendars by Inferential Statistics	215	(2)
Comparison of Achievement of Year-Round and Traditional Calendars by Descriptive Statistics	217	(2)
Concept 6 Annual Data Report (2000-2001), Lodi Unified School District	219	(1)
Concept 6 Annual Data Report (2000-2001), Vista Unified School District	220	(1)
C Extended Year Calendar
Annual Data Report (2000-2001)	221	(6)
References	227	(12)
About the Authors	239