A four-quarter extended school year plan in Buena Vista, Virginia, high schools is described in this paper. The voluntary program is composed of 3 quarters totaling 150 instructional hours, with an optional summer quarter. Advantages of the program include community/business support and student opportunities for remediation and acceleration.…

The most commonly used calendar cycles are described in this paper, with a focus on the advantages and disadvantages of each. Calendar options include the following plans: 45-15 block and staggered, flexible 45-15, 60-20 block and staggered, 90-30 staggered, Concept 6, 60-15, Concept 8, trimester, quinmester, Concept 16, Concept 12, multiple…

Based on the assumption that education is an ongoing process, this first national seminar was instituted to serve as a clearinghouse of information on year-round education. The seminar brought together some of the nation's most creative educators to consider year-round schools as a means of improving the quality of education without corresponding…

In 1973, the Virginia State Board of Education and the school board, faculty, and students of Buena Vista (Virginia) approved a four-quarter voluntary extended school-year plan for the Parry McCluer High School. This paper describes the review and planning process, as well as some of the program's outcomes 20 years later. Some of its objectives…

Questions concerning year-round schooling are presented and answered in this report. Following a definition of year-round education, examples of single-track and multitrack schedules are described, along with the calendar variations within them. Other issues that are addressed include holidays and intersessions, compliance with the Alberta School…

This publication examines year-round education (YRE) and answers questions commonly asked by parents. Chapter 1 provides a description and historical overview of YRE and outlines various single- and multi-track school calendars. Chapter 2 addresses common parental concerns about YRE, including: the difficulty of changing the traditional school;…

A rationale for restructuring American education through changing the school schedule is presented in this paper. The following issues are addressed: the national status of year-round education; meeting children's needs; school year calendars in Europe, Japan, and Russia; and school calendar options. Arguments for year-round schooling are that it…

Outcomes of a four-quarter extended school year plan implemented in a Buena Vista City, Virginia, high school in 1973 are described in this paper. (The school year was divided into three 60-day quarters; each quarter is an independent unit. The tuition-free fourth or summer quarter is voluntary.) The approval process, program objectives,…

To meet the changing needs of its young people, Atlanta Public Schools searched for an organizational structure that would (1) permit more flexibility and individualization of instruction; (2) allow pupils to take one course, two courses, or a combination of courses and activities; (3) permit a wider selection of options; and (4) expand the school…

Prior to the 1940s, several communities in the United States had adopted year-round education (YRE). This paper presents an overview of YRE, including history, patterns of implementation, various calendars, intersession arrangements, pros and cons, and a list of areas to be addressed when considering YRE. Proponents of YRE argue that it enhances…

A three-phase study was conducted at the College of the Redwoods (C/R) to determine if the college calendar should be changed, and if so, how. The first phase of the study consisted of establishing priority criteria for consideration of alternative forms of calendar organization, identification of calendar alternatives, and compilation of a list…

This report by Maine's Task Force on Year-Round Education to the State Board of Education explores the feasibility of changing the school calendar--to distribute instructional time over more calendar months in order to enhance student learning. The new schedule could reduce teacher and student absenteeism, limit the loss of learning during summer…

The 9-month school year with a 3-month summer vacation had its origin in our earlier agrarian life. Today's teacher shortages, overcrowded schools, and pressures to learn demand extensions of the school year. This publication analyzes five programs: (1) a staggered-vacation school year for all, (2) a full 48-week school year for all, (3) a…

Among the advantages of year-round operation of schools over conventional 9-month operations, the documents in this annotated bibliography cite savings in cost and space, increased flexibility of scheduling, and higher teacher salaries. Various year-round plans are discussed and recommendations offered for implementation of a year-round schedule.…