In March 1976 the Knox County school board cut short Tennessee's only recent experiment in year-round education because only 12 percent of the 5,500 students in the 5 West Knox County schools involved in the 3-year trial elected to attend the summer quinmester of the 5-quin school year. (AUTHOR)

A voluntary quinmester plan for extending the school year was tried in five Knox County Tennessee schools. Ten University of Tennesse faculty members teamed to evaluate the program's K-12 curriculum revision, administration, public opinion, costs, student and staff morale, and student achievement. Achievement was not significantly influenced, but…

The Knox County extended school year (ESY) program emphasized K-12 curriculum improvement. During the trial of the ESY scheduling and curriculum changes, there was an increase in English and social studies scores at the high school, an increase at all levels in the extent to which students perceived that individualization of instruction was taking…