From the ECS State Policy Database: Scheduling/School Calendar--Summer School - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

From the ECS State Policy Database: Scheduling/School Calendar--Day/Class Length - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

From the ECS State Policy Database: Scheduling/School Calendar--Year - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

From the ECS State Policy Database: Scheduling/School Calendar - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

Number of Instructional Days/Hours in the School Year PDF - This ECS StateNote answers: How long is the school year? When does school begin? How long does a day need to be to count as a “full day” of instruction?...

From the ECS State Policy Database: Scheduling/School Calendar--Year Round - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

Learning Time in America : Trends to Reform the American School Calendar - This report reviews the debate on and the policies concerning learning time in America's public schools. Included in the appendix is a review of state policies on instructional time. The report was written in conjunction with A State Policymaker’s Guide to Expanding Learning Time, a brief that offers examples of state statutes and initiatives that alter learning time expectations....

From the ECS State Policy Database: Scheduling/School Calendar--Week - This policy database—updated weekly—is made possible by your state's fiscal support of the Education Commission of the States....

Four-Day School Week PDF - As school districts nationwide struggle with funding cuts, the four-day school week has gained momentum as one way to save money. This ECS StateNote examines measures in the states that authorize eliminating one instructional day per week from the school calendar. (Molly Ryan, Education Commission of the States, November 2009)...

Cost Per-Day for Extended School Year MS Word PDF - Extending the school year has become a topic of interest to many state and federal policymakers. Prior to deciding to extend the school year it is important for policymakers to understand the associated costs. This ECS StateNote gives a rough estimate of the total cost and the instructional cost of school operation in each state. (Michael Griffith, Education Commission of the States, February 2008)...

Minimum Number of Minutes/Hours in a High School Day MS Word PDF - This ECS StateNote provides a 50-state review of required instructional time in a typical high school day. (Michael Colasanti, Education Commission of the States, November 2007)...

What Cannot Count Toward Official Instructional Time? MS Word PDF - State policymakers typically set the minimum number of instructional days or hours (pupil-teacher contact days). However, fewer states explicitly address whether certain non-teaching activities that fall within the school day count toward that minimum number. This ECS StateNote presents a scan of state laws in search of such provisions. (Kathy Christie and Michael Colasanti, Education Commission of the States, October 2007)...

Scheduling: Year-Round School MS Word - OLDIE BUT GOODY. Year-round schooling is an alternative method of providing education, often implemented in schools or school districts that are experiencing rapid increases in student population. Whatever the reasons for switching to a year-round schedule, it is important that policymakers, administrators, teachers, parents and students understand the concept and effects of year-round schooling, specifically with regards to levels of student achievement. (Todd Ziebarth, Education Commission of the States, June 1997)...

Focus on the Alternative School Calendar: Year-Round School Programs and Update on the Four-Day School Week - This report provides an overview of year-round programs and examines the advantages and challenges that are inherent to most, if not all, of these programs. It also provides an update on actions relating to the four-day school week. Although only a small percentage of schools in the SREB region have year-round programs in operation, it is important for education leaders and legislators to explore whether this type of calendar contributes to stronger academic achievement results for students. (SREB, January 2011)...

More Time for Learning: Promising Practices and Lessons Learned - The report, based on lessons learned over the past four years of the Initiative, highlights how successful expanded-time schools are using additional time to: (1) Individualize academic supports to meet student needs; (2) Help teachers strengthen instruction; (3) Use data to make effective decisions about how to focus teaching and learning; and (4) Add high-quality enrichment programs and community partners to build students’ skills, interest, and self-confidence. The featured schools have had extraordinary success as a result of adding more time. (Massachusetts 2020, June 2010)...

After-School Programs in Public Elementary Schools: First Look - This study provides a national profile of various types of formal after-school programs physically located at public elementary schools in 2008. (National Center for Education Statistics, February 2009)...

Focus on the School Calendar: The Four-Day School Week - The school calendar and instructional time have changed little during the lifetimes of current policymakers, yet expectations for students and teachers have increased significantly. The report lists the potential benefits and the potential challenges of a four-day school week and poses questions that policymakers should consider before making changes to the school calendar. (Gail Gaines, Southern Regional Education Board, August 2008)...