The conversion from quarter to semester plan can be beneficial academically and financially. Some costs borne by a college and its students potentially can be cut by one-third. The process has a potential for strengthening curricula because the conversion necessitates a thorough examination of each course. (MLW)

Since the 1960s, many colleges and universities have shortened their school years. Driven by debate about the quality of undergraduate education and about whether students are getting their money's worth in college, some institutions are reexamining their academic calendars. Practical considerations, including student attendance patterns, make…

The number of days in each quarter, semester, or trimester is compared for academic years 1968-69 and 1993-94, for 10 private and 10 public colleges and universities. Intersessions and January sessions are included. Total number of days per year have decreased in almost all these cases and now vary from 134 to 172. (MSE)

The question of which calendar is best for Barstow College (BC) is addressed in terms of general considerations connected with academic calendars, the intended effects of the quarter system, the issue of cost effectiveness, and the advantages and disadvantages of both calendars. First, introductory material discusses BC's conversion to a quarter…

This report contains a summary and synthesis of all the information and recommendations contained in six different studies, conducted during 1969-70 in eight Michigan school districts, as to the feasibility of extending the regular school year. Three school districts--Port Huron, Northville, and Utica--selected the four-quarter mandated design for…

Two junior high schools for enrollments of 800-900 students each (Grades 7-12), are being constructed concurrently with an instructional materials center, a multipurpose building, and a vocational school on a 150-acre site in Johnson City, Tennessee. Each school is to have its own principal, assistant principal, counselors, secretaries, and aides.…

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…

This report presents the findings of a study done by a college-wide task force at the College of DuPage (Illinois) on academic calendar formats in an effort to determine whether to retain the quarter system or convert to another calendar. A brief introduction gives the background to the issue at DuPage. A section on procedures explains that the…

After reviewing types of college calendars (traditional semester, early semester, trimester, and quarter) and previous research on the use of various school calendars, this paper describes a survey conducted by Ocean County College, a medium-sized college currently using a traditional semester calendar, to determine the views of students, faculty,…

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…

In 1966 a decision was made to begin operating the University of California at Berkeley on a year-round basis. Included in this report are discussions of year-round education in general; various methods of year-round education, including the semester summer session plan, the quarter plan, and the trimester plan; and background, implementation, and…

This study examines the economic, educational, and physical feasibility of the four-quarter plan with an assigned vacation. The choice of this plan resulted from the examination of research and literature on different forms and uses of the four-quarter plan. It was concluded that the plan would be feasible if the following conditions were met: (1)…

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.…

The background of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute experiential program, how it was established, and how it currently operates are described. The Major Qualifying Project and the Interactive Qualifying Project, faculty roles and administrative structures, the humanities and evaluation of the program are discussed. (MLW)

This document reports that many community colleges are considering changes in their traditional semester calendars. In California, the most common question facing colleges is whether to switch from the traditional (in California) 18-week semester to a 16-week one. This paper details the results of a student and faculty survey conducted at…