Examined factors that might influence diverse high school students' levels of participation in intersession programs provided by a year-round education program at an urban high school. Analysis of data from student records indicated that levels of participation varied as a function of students' gender, race, grade level, and level of academic…

A severe space crunch and dismal academic performance prompted a Texas school district to adopt multitrack year-round education. Six years later, crowding is under control and test scores and attendance are up. In an interview, the superintendent and assistant superintendent discuss the district's success with this controversial schedule. (MLF)

The goal of California's classroom size reduction (CSR) program is to have 20 or fewer students in kindergarten through grade 3 classrooms. Districts receive $650 for each student in a reduced classroom. Describes how districts implemented the plan and offers five lessons from struggles and successes with CSR. A table displays average elementary…

Compared academic and psychosocial skills of kindergartners attending extended-year or traditional programs. Found that at beginning of next traditional year, extended-year students outperformed traditional-year students in mathematics, reading, and general knowledge and had higher perceived cognitive competence. Mathematics and reading…

Camps perceive year-round school as a threat, but since less than 4 percent of students are affected, the impact is minimal. Camps that are affected can make schools and communities aware of camps' strengths in outdoor and environmental education, self-esteem building, and meeting youth's developmental needs; become a partner in year-round…

Describes a principal's frustrating, but ultimately successful 3-year effort to convert a Virginia elementary school to a year-round schedule. Now in its third year, the school boasts students with higher standardized test scores, better attendance, and fewer discipline referrals than their traditional-calendar counterparts. (MLH)

Four dissimilar schools each respond to a learning challenge by questioning set-in-stone thinking and taking risks. A K-8 school in Toronto bypasses the traditional--and problematic--long summer vacation to follow a balanced calendar model. Students attend school year-round with two-week breaks scattered throughout the year; both remedial and…

A study examining the effects of alternative school calendars surveyed 254 principals and teachers from predominantly rural schools in Kentucky, Illinois, and Tennessee. Results revealed strong support for a calendar that rescheduled rather than added school days and that reduced summer vacation. Advantages included academic improvement, extra…

Studies in three Canadian schools indicate that implementation of a year-round school calendar served as a catalyst for innovations in teaching and learning and for school-level capacity-building by facilitating teachers' planning, formal and informal talk about teaching and learning, team teaching, philosophically-based programmatic changes, and…

School districts have come up with some money-saving practices that include auditing utility bills, turning off lights, installing light fixtures that are more cost-efficient, keeping track of what the district owns, and shopping for better deals with utilities. (MLF)

Although inclusiveness is the U.S. school system's strongest feature, more is seldom better. This article recommends raising standards and expectations, focusing on outcomes, stressing effort over ability and teacher competence over seniority, individualizing instruction, breaking the age/grade link, expanding year-round learning and early…

Evaluation of year-round education (YRE) in a rural North Carolina school district found disruption to "sense of community;" positive attitudes among participating teachers, students, and parents (primarily based on personal scheduling preferences); but no advantages in attendance or achievement. Results suggest that decisions to use YRE…

Describes a cooperative project between several year-round elementary schools in Indianapolis (Indiana) to promote reading, based on the National Education Association's campaign using Dr. Seuss books. Discusses planning with library media specialists, activities that included writing about reading, volunteers and funding, and evaluation. (LRW)

Extols the virtues of a year-round school schedule and identifies several schools where this practice has contributed to the success of the music program. Briefly discusses such key factors as staffing, budget, curriculum, logical sequence of instruction, and performance scheduling. Includes an example of a year-round schedule. (MJP)

While there appears to be widespread agreement that schools need to use time more effectively to improve learning opportunities, education research is needed on the cost and results of using time differently. Presents a cost-simulation model to determine the relative costs of a year-round program. (MLF)