 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 4 th – arbitrary assignment of block, student load is still 7

Straight 7 Cons: 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

Pros: 7 credits for students 53 minutes; 90 minutes Instructional time is similar to current schedule, except the blocked period Less wasted time in 4 th 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

Pros: 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

12Periods 70 min. each Fall 12 Weeks Aug-NovWinter Nov-FebSpring Feb-May1st1611 2nd2712 3rd3813 4th4914 5th Credits 7.5 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, 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) Wellnes s (1) Biology (1) Biology (2) World Geog. Or World History (1) Alg. I (1) Alg. I (2) Foreign Lang. I (1) Foreign Lang. I (2) Wellnes s (2) Fine Art (1) World Geog. Or World History (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) Electiv e Focus (1) Electiv e Focus (2) English 12 (1) English 12 (2) Fine Art (2) Person al Financ e (1) Amer. Gov’t (1) Econ. (1) Electiv e Focus (5) Electiv e Focus (6) English 11 (1) English II (2) ACT Prep Physics or Bio. II (1) Physics or Bio. II (2) Alg. II (2) Adv. Alg.& Trig Or Pre- Calc. Adv. Alg.& Trig Or Pre- Calc. U.S. History (1) U.S. History (2) Elective Focus (3) Electiv e Focus (4) 9 TH 10 TH 11 TH 12 TH Trimester – 4 Year Plan Standard Schedule

World Geog. Or World History (1) English 9 (1) English 9 (2) Wellnes s (1) Honors Biology (1) Honors Biology (2) Honors Geom. (1) Honors Geom. (2) Honors Alg. II (1) Foreign Lang. I (1) Foreign Lang. I (2) Fine Art (1) Fine Art (2) World Geog. Or World History (2) PE (1) English 10 (1) English 10 (2) Honors Chem. (1) Honors Chem. (2) Honors Alg. II (2) Honors Pre-Cal (1) Honors Pre-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) AP Physic s (2) AP Physic s (3) AP Stats. (1) AP Stats (2) AP Stats (3) Amer. Gov’t (1) Econ. (1) Anat. & Phys. (1) Biome d App. (1) Biome d App. (2) English 11 (1) English 11 (2) AP Biology (1) AP Biology (2) AP Biolog y (3) AP Calc. (1) AP Calc. (2) AP Calc. (3) Personal Finance (1) U.S. History (1) U.S. Histor y (2) ACT PREP Diagn. Med. (1) Diagn. Med. (2) 9 TH 10 TH 11 TH 12 TH Trimester – 4 Year Plan Pre-Med (Science/Math/Health Science)