The participants of this phenomenological study were employed at a school that previously was not performing on assessments at a level equal to schools in the state comparison group. Due to low student achievement, school leaders explored pathways to improve instruction and changed the school schedule from a semester schedule to a trimester…

The greatest capital expenditure a school system can make is a high school. What can be done to accommodate students and programs when funding is scarce, high schools are crowded, and more students are expected? The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in Raleigh, North Carolina, first addressed this issue when enrollment growth more than…

Why do a trimester schedule? With the advent of block scheduling, many high schools conducted research on utilizing that plan in a trimester format. There appeared to be three issues that most schools faced: (1) How to provide substantive instructional time that was not fragmented?; (2) How does the school climate contribute positively to…

The authors investigated whether the curricular structure of an economics course (semester, trimester, or compressed block schedule) has an effect on an undergraduate's subsequent retention of course material, while controlling for other relevant differences. They tested separately for theoretical or process comprehension and for graphical…

Although many high schools are switching from a semester to a trimester schedule as a response to increased high-school graduation requirements, there is very little empirical research on trimesters. In this ethnographic case study (2006-2009), we observed 22 math and science classrooms, interviewed seven administrators, two counselors and 22…

The articles reviewed in this paper are a supplement to a previous publication on college and university calendars. This new data tends to strongly reinforce the crucial point made in the previous study that indicated that college and university administrators have advocated one system, then another, without adequate empirical follow-up of the…

History of the academic calendar. (HS)

It has been argued that higher education in Ontario should be lengthened from a 7-month academic year to a 9-month academic year that costly facilities might be more fully utilized and that students might complete degree requirements in 3 years instead of 4. This brief is organized into 6 sections consisting of (1) a brief discussion of the issues…

This document reports the results of a survey conducted to determine (1) the types of academic calendars being used in colleges and universities in the U.S.: and (2) the changes taking place. Six types of calendars are defined: the traditional semester calendar; the trimester calendar; the 4-1-4 calendar; and other calendars. The survey was very…

Article considered an experiment with a three-quarter (trimester) schedule carried out by Wooddale High School in Memphis, Tennessee. (Author/RK)

Researchers urge adoption of a standardized college calendar and express a few preferences. (Editor)

An analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of the trimester system and speculations on the current disuse and prospects for revival of the system. (Editor/HS)

The 4-1-4 or the interim term is used by an increasing number of colleges and universities in an effort to enrich or rejuvenate their educational program by providing a special new kind of learning experience for the entire college community. Generally a brief period between semesters or quarters, the interim term can take several forms: (1) it…

This report presents highlights of and summarizes 17 articles and papers on college calendars that were published between 1959 and 1970. The calendars discussed include the 2 semester calendar that operates on a 10-month year; the year-round calendar that adds 1 or 2 summer sessions to the 2 semester year; the interim-term calendar often…

The annual survey shows 75 institutions changing for 1983-84. The early semester calendar was the only type to gain, adding 49 institutions, but the overall distribution of calendar types has changed little. Most using traditional semesters are in California or New York. Only 8 percent use the 4-1-4 schedule. (MSE)