In early January, school staff was informed that the district had decided to go to a 7 period day. Below is something I wrote early on with a limited amount of time to research. I have since found other interesting points of discussion, but those are under another posting. Please forgive the formatting as I moved this from one source to another and it isn’t perfect.
DOES THE 7 DAY SCHEDULE DO ANYTHING POSITIVE?
If the schedule does anything net positive, we should ABSOLUTELY do it. Whatever is best for kids we need to do. Period. But let us examine if this concept IS beneficial for students. Critics of the system indicate that class contact decreases and adding another class means another class students have to do work for. Additionally, students with special needs who already need more time for work will be given even less. Proponents show that additional class offerings allow students to take more electives, graduate even earlier and allow struggling students more opportunity to recapture lost credits. Some advocates also suggest there will be a budgetary savings. What is the REAL outcome? To determine this, we have a unique opportunity to look at the MatSu district which has already implemented the system.
WHAT HAPPENED IN MATSU
In the 2011-12 school year, Matsu high schools implemented a 7 period system. It was announced via district wide newletter (http://www.matsuk12.us/cms/lib/AK01000953/Centricity/Domain/7/News–Features%20and%20Information/Seven%20period%20day2.pdf ) and in the newsletter positives and negatives were listed. However, nowhere in the document does it suggest a fiscal savings. In fact, it merely says it will cost “no more” money. This was, in fact, not the case.
There were concerns from the public about the system, some of them showing up in the local newspaper. One of them suggests that the district did a survey which indicated wide spread disappointment with the change, yet the district failed to respond by changing back to the previous bell schedule.
Responses to the change in Mat Su
Proponents of Anchorage switching to a 7 period system hold data from Mat Su up as case study for why we should implement the concept here. But the system has only been in place for 2 years, so there is only a limited amount of data. Can it really reflect on an outcome this early? And what does the date really say?
COMPARISON TO WASILLA HIGH
We can do a little bit of comparing with one of the MATSU schools which use this system. Here is their bell schedule:
(http://www.matsuk12.us/cms/lib/AK01000953/Centricity/Domain/3188/Bell_Schedule.pdf )
The Wasilla bell schedule (website above) is quite different than what I propose later for Anchorage if we must go to a 7 period system, although class times come out to be about the same. In the case of their school, passing periods are only 6 minutes. This yields classes that are 1-2 minutes longer on Monday and Friday, but 3 minutes shorter on block days. They also have one class (period 4) which is
outside of the block rotation. Their lunch is 30 minutes long (the minimum allowed by contract in Anchorage, although some argue that contract language states our lunch should be 30 minutes PLUS a passing period). Additionally the Wasilla schedule is not even, that is, classes do not meet for the same amount of time (for example, 4th period meets 236 minutes a week while 5th meets only 226.) It is also interesting to note that MATSU’s calendar has 3 more days of school. [Note: the schedule shows block classes running at 67 minutes but lists the duration at 72 minutes elsewhere. The times listed show class is actually 67 minutes.]
BUDGET IMPACT
Does the 7 period day impact the school budget? Here are figures for the MATSU borough and school district based on their annual report. http://www.matsuk12.us/cms/lib/AK01000953/Centricity/Domain/1/Annual%20Report%20Web.pdf ) According to Mat-Su District yearly report, moving to this type of schedule has had zero positive budget impact. In fact:
Original Budget for FY 2013 was: $222,310,697
ACTUAL Budget for FY 2013 was: $230,535,432
This is an $8.2 Million overage from their original budget.
Cost of education in the district coming from the borough contribution has steadily increased from FY 2009 at $43.96 Million to $51.29 Million in FY 2013-14, a 17% increase over four years. FY 2012 ACTUAL budget was $208,892,958. Compared to actual FY 2013, this is a $21.6 Million increase over the previous year, or a 10.3% increase, not a savings. Clearly there has been no savings.
GRADUATION RATES AND OTHER MEASURES
District personnel have said that even if the process does not save any money, it raises the level of education by raising graduation levels. Does it? According to the MATSU 2012 Annual report, graduation rates for the 4th year cohort have been virtually stagnant:
2008 69%
2009 69%
2010 70.5%
2011 70%
2012 71.5%
The 7 period day was implemented in the 2011 school year. Based on the information provided above by MATSU’s own document, in the first year of implementation, graduation rates actually dropped .5% and only went up 1.5% the following year. Based on looking at trends from 2008, there is NO STATISTICAL EVIDENCE that the 7 period day effectively changed graduation results. Whatever may be being said anecdotally is not supported by the data.
In the same year, MATSU district changed school start times to 7:45 instead of 7:30. As we are well aware, COUNTLESS studies suggest later start times are better for student achievement. Could the nearly insignificant increase in graduation rate be due to THIS instead? We will never know, but it is clear that there is no statistical cause and effect connection that can be made between what may be a
statistically insignificant increase and a 7 period day. Additionally keep in mind that in some respects we are comparing apples and oranges. MATSU students only have 22 required graduation credits versus Anchorage’s 22.5. Perhaps this would not be significant if the additional ½ credit were an elective, but that is not the case. The additional half credit in Anchorage is in Math, which for many students is a difficult hurdle.
Yet, according to ASD’s same reports, Anchorage graduation rates far exceed Matsu’s:
2008 64.3%
2009 70%
2010 69.7 / 71%
2011 72.1%
2012 72.8%
2013 76.2%
By comparison, West High’s 4 year cohort graduation rates even exceed the district’s:
2009 67.5%
2010 72.4%
2011 77.2%
2012 78.7%
One is motivated to ask the question, “If we are already doing BETTER than the Mat Su, and there is NO Evidence that a 7 period schedule does anything positive to budgets or graduation rates, if it ain’t broke, why fix it?” In fact, across the board, our numbers have improved in dropout rate, attendance and graduation rates.
WHAT IS DRIVING THIS HEADLONG RUSH FOR CHANGE?
One can only guess. MATSU took a deal of time to research before they made their change. It does not appear that ASD has done the same. Instead they have taken a “if it is good enough for MatSu, it’s good enough for ASD” stance. Why one would make that argument when ASD’s rates are better despite having a more rigorous graduation requirement is curious. Looking at the data, it does not appear that the 7 period day is at all beneficial. And while there does not appear to be a negative effect, if there is NO positive effect, why implement the change?
Additionally, there IS a hidden cost in making such a change. Forms, websites, school calendars, and additional paperwork etc. will have to be modified at a cost. The Zangle program will have to be modified. While some will argue these are relatively small costs, and admittedly they probably are, they are still REAL costs. And if we are living in a time where we should be CUTTING budgets, is this sound fiscal responsibility?
One can only surmise that district leadership is responding to the community’s desire to see costs cut and education standards increased. By making a change, ANY change, it will appear that the district is, at least, doing SOMETHING.
WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE?
If ASD goes to a 7 period day, what will our schedule look like? Likely, something like Wasilla and Colony. Due to the variables involved, there is not a lot of wiggle room if the length of the school day is not increased. However, there can be some modifications While it is true that class time need not be impacted by a 7 period bell schedule, this is only true if one were to eliminate lunch and passing periods almost completely. Current contract language requires a duty free lunch for teachers of no less than 30 minutes (some argue 40.) A change in contract language might allow for some other options, but that is not the current situation. Acknowledging that we cannot eliminate lunch and that a reasonable passing period must be maintained in a real world yields a schedule that necessarily requires decreasing class time.
There are multiple options for 7 period day schedules. The two listed below illustrate two extremes.
The first maintains a long school lunch, the other offers the longest option for class time.
SHORT DAY VER. 1.0
Long Lunch
7:30 – 8:13 43
8:13 – 8:20 7
8:20 – 9:03 43
9:03 – 9:10 7
9:10 – 9:53 43
9:53 – 10:00 7
10:00 – 10:43 43
10:43 – 11:30 47 LUNCH
11:30 – 12:20 43 +7 for announcements
12:20 – 12:27 7
12:27– 1:10 43
1:10– 1:17 7
1:17 – 2:00 43
SHORT DAY VER. 2.0
Longest Possible Class / Short Lunch
7:30 – 8:15 45
8:15 – 8:22 7
8:22 – 9:07 45
9:07 – 9:14 7
9:14 – 9:59 45
9:59 – 10:06 7
10:06 – 10:51 45
10:51 – 11:26 35 LUNCH
11:26 – 12:14 45 +3 for announcements
12:14 – 12:21 7
12:21– 1:08 45
1:08– 1:15 7
1:15 – 2:00 45
BLOCK Scheduling
Due to having 7 classes, it is IMPOSSIBLE to have a blocking schedule that involves ALL 7 classes, so one class MUST be out of the block. This yields something like:
Time Tues Wed Thurs minutes
7:30 – 8:17 7 7 7 49
8:17-8:24 7
8:24-9:34 1 2 1 70
9:34-9:41 7
9:41-10:51 2 3 3 70
10:51 – 11:31 40
11:31 – 12:43 4 5 4 72
12:43 – 12:50 7
12:50 – 2:00 5 6 6 70
OUTCOME
Using short day v.2 on Monday and Friday with the rotating block on Tuesday through Thursday decreases total classroom seat time by 30 minutes per week per class. This is equivalent to decreasing class time by 10.8 class days per semester or 21.6 class days per year per class compared to current seat time. This means a teacher must cover the equivalent content with 12% less contact time each year. As student/teacher ratios are increasing as well, contact time between teachers and students is SIGNIFICANTLY reduced. Even so, the schedule proposed gives MORE time than the MatSu bell schedule as well as being more balanced. If we move to the MatSu schedule, contact time is even less.
Consider the following scenario. Currently an English teacher has five classes of 28 students each. That is 140 essays to grade. Increase the student/teacher ratio to 30 and add a 6th class. Now the teacher has 180 essays to grade or a 28.5% increase in workload. This workload increase comes with a 12% decrease in their time to work with students on the assignment as well as a 12% decrease in their conference hour to correct the assignment and enter it into Zangle. How will this reality affect what teachers are able to assign? And this is just a typical class. What will be the impact on LAB classes when course time is cut by over 10%?
HOW DID WE GET HERE?
We don’t know. There has been little to no information provided by the Anchorage School District on how this concept even came up. But we do know some things.
Teachers were informed by principals on Friday, January 10 that ASD would be going to a 7 period concept in 2014-15. Not that we might, but that we would. When teachers asked union representatives if this was a “done deal” and if there were any contractual agreement to this through a memorandum of agreement, the Union President replied:
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No, there is no memorandum of agreement about this. In the past year, only one MOA has been signed. It’s an agreement that let’s me be an employee of the District with AEA reimbursing for my salary. Other than that, none at all. In fact, I asked Ed [Graff, ASD Superintendent] questions about yesterday’s meeting. He declined to discuss it. I asked if I could sit in, and he didn’t want to do that. I really have no details yet on what was said.
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As more questions were generated, teachers received the following from Mike Graham at the district office:
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Seven Period Schedule Questions for High Schools
January 10, 2013
Why are we considering a change to a seven period schedule?
We are committed as a District to the Destination 2020 goals of increasing proficiency in reading, writing and math, as well as the graduation rate. However, due to projected flat funding, the district expects a budget gap of $49 million over the next two years, which means schools will have fewer teachers. With fewer teachers in the foreseeable future, and given the current high school schedule of six periods, it is becoming logistically impossible to provide core instruction as well as meet the need for increased academic support and intervention classes, and still continue with quality elective offerings and opportunities the public wants and students deserve. We either do something different or face the reality of both increased class sizes and the elimination of specific classes and programs.
Does having teachers teach six of seven periods save money, and if so, is that the reason we are looking at it?
Having teachers teach six of seven periods rather than five of six is technically 2.3% more efficient, but this is not the reason for making the change. Schools will be staffed the same regardless of the schedule. What the change does is utilize the staffing a school has to provide far more opportunities for students, including academic support classes, AP courses, and elective offerings.
Why are we looking at implementing a seven period schedule next year rather than waiting another year to study and prepare?
With reduced teacher allocations to each school next year, and the increasing need for core plus more in core academic courses, the need to do something different is now. The opportunity cost of waiting a year in terms of programs or courses that may be cut could be very high compared with the advantages of waiting a year.
Doesn’t a seven period schedule result in less time per each class?
The decrease in available time for each class will depend on a comparison between a school’s current school schedule, number of passing periods and corresponding minutes per class per week with whatever new schedule is developed. Given available time, how much instructional time is decreased will depend on how a teacher uses the time available. The need to make the most of every instructional minute available will become paramount.
Will current academic plans and pacing guides still be viable if there is an overall decrease in the instructional time available for each specific class?
The academic plans that have been developed are intended to be living entities that are reviewed annually. The curriculum groups that review them will address any adjustments necessary due to a seven period schedule. Common Core State Standards also narrow and deepen the focus within the content areas.
Will student homework loads increase?
Depending upon the class a student opts to take as the seventh selection, the total amount of homework could increase. However, homework load is within a teacher’s scope of authority. Teachers have the opportunity and responsibility to ensure that all homework issued is directly related to learning objectives, takes into account student ability and need, and strengthens the classroom-home connection. Administrators should work with teachers to ensure homework is not just routine, but meaningful and enriching and provides students with valuable feedback. Depending on the schedule developed, which may include alternating blocks, students also may not have every class every day, allowing some flexibility in homework priority for students.
Will graduation requirements increase?
There are no plans to increase ASD graduation requirements beyond the current 22.5 credits. With a four-year opportunity to earn 28 credits, the new schedule could in fact be advantageous to providing opportunities for credit recovery and increasing the graduation rate.
Can schools schedule a study skills or academic enrichment class for regular education students?
Secondary Education will be working with the curriculum department to make sure such a course is available for regular education students. While we currently have study skills for special education students and tutorial courses for ELL students, the need this kind of class for regular education students, including those in honors and Advanced Placement, is something that has been requested for students at all levels, and no doubt will be in higher demand with the opportunity of an additional period that students can access.
Will teachers need to be highly qualified in the additional course they teach?
Just as happens currently, a teacher needs to be highly qualified in any course he or she is assigned to teach. If the teacher is not highly qualified for an assigned course, he or she will need to work with the principal and submit a plan for becoming highly qualified.
Will teachers have to teach a new prep in addition their other courses?
This will be up to the principal and what he or she schedules for each individual teacher. Principals will need to take into account student, program, and school needs, teacher qualifications and abilities, relative workload in terms of preparation and grading, and scheduling logistics and realities within the master schedule. It is possible that a teacher could be assigned a new prep in their content area, could teach an additional section of a course already scheduled, or be assigned another class that does not require as much preparation or grading time as his or her others.
Will teachers still get their instructional planning period?
All teachers will still receive their contractually guaranteed instructional planning period.
How will part time teachers be impacted by a six of seven schedule?
Given that a full time teacher will teach six periods, 80% teachers will now teach five, 60% teachers will teach four, 40% teachers will teach three, and 20% teachers will teach two class periods.
How will the new schedule impact intensives?
Intensives at the high school level happen mainly at alternative schools, which have an ability to be flexible in their scheduling and use of time. It is anticipated that all schools will still have the flexibility to allow for intensives if they choose to do so.
Will schools still be able to choose how many lunch periods they schedule?
Yes. Our middle schools, which currently operate on a seven period schedule, have as many as three lunches each day. One of the scheduling models being considered for high schools has a fourth period class happening every day. In this model, lunch could happen before the class, after the class, or both before and after.
Will school start and ending times remain the same or can the day be extended?
There are no plans to lengthen the school day at this point.
How would KCC fit into a seven period schedule?
This will depend on the schedule adopted, but it is certainly expected that morning and afternoon classes will still be possible with periods 1, 2, and 3 happening in the am, and periods 5, 6, and 7 happening in the pm. If 4th hour becomes a constant class every day, KCC may consider enrolling students in a 4th hour class at KCC in addition to the CTE course. No matter what schedule is adopted, the district is committed to working with KCC to ensure that students do not lose out on any educational or credit opportunities if they choose to attend KCC. With a seven period schedule, more students may have the flexibility to take advantage of the opportunities KCC offers.
Will all high schools have the same 7 period bell schedule?
While there are advantages to having all secondary schools on the same bell schedule, the unique needs, traditions, and programs within each school community need to be taken into account. As has been true in the past, within the limits of the traditional daily starting and ending times, and keeping in mind the KCC schedule that must work with them, all schools will have the opportunity to develop their own bell schedules. Seven period days, block periods, rotating blocks, daily “skinny” periods, number and length of passing periods, lunchtime configurations, advisory periods, or even professional development time are all possibilities that can be considered when developing daily and weekly bell schedules.
When will we know for sure that we’re going to change to a seven period schedule?
Schools should count on building a seven period schedule for next year having teachers teach six periods. Because many schools begin the student scheduling process in January, and because there are many decisions schools will need to make in the transition to a six of seven schedule, the time is now to begin preparing and planning.
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And that leaves us where we are now, at a precarious tipping point. There are a lot of questions still to be addressed. For example:
• Who made this unilateral decision?
• How was it made?
• Will there be any debate on the topic or is it a Fait Acompli?
• Why was the discussion kept secret and why were parents and unions left out?
• How will Northwest Accreditation and State mandates affect this decision?
• How will programs like IB, which has required seat time, be affected?
• How much latitude will a school have in deciding what this 7th class period is? Could a school opt for it to be a 20 minute study hall or advisory period, for example?
• What is the cost of moving to this system?
• How will NCAA view this decision? Will it affect NCAA eligibility?
• How and when will this information be revealed?
• Or is this all just posturing to force the legislature to adopt a new funding formula?
WHAT SHOULD I DO?
You should gather as many facts as you can. Look at the data yourself. Do not accept what you are being told here or anywhere. The numbers speak for themselves. Unlike the District, I have provided clear evidence, but I do not expect you to accept it without researching it yourself. So go check. Then make a decision about what you think is true about this 7 period system. If you find it to be sound educational theory, then sit back and relax and enjoy the ride. But if you do not, you need to call your school board member, your assemblyman, your legislator. You need to write letters to the editor. You need to gather others and get them informed. And then you need to tell the civil servants of the Anchorage School District who work for your Tax Dollars what your marching orders are. In the end, they are YOUR employees. You are the boss.
But if you are complacent and apathetic, you will receive what they decide to give you for an education. And then you will have nobody to blame but yourself.
APPENDIX
In the original version of this early diatribe I included an appendix responding to the memo shown above. As this post is already way too long, I will not put it here, but will list it as its own post.
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