national academy foundation taming the master schedule

1

National Academy Foundation

Taming the Master Schedule

Patricia Clark CASN - Career Academy

Support Network/ U.C. Berkeley

Mike Neubig Capture Educational Consulting Services

2

Welcome!

Why the National Academy Foundation is emphasizing Academy master scheduling

Your facilitators

Who are you?Title/role

Location

Experience

- Workshop Learning Goal

Or:Amount of torn hair?

Level of blood pressure?

Drinking problems?

OR scheduling bliss?

3

Webinar Objectives

To increase our knowledge and understanding of the importance of effective master schedule in supporting student learning, equity, achievement, and personalization.

To learn more about the Stages and Steps of the Master Scheduling Process and related best practices.

4

Webinar Objectives

To explore issues and solutions related to successful Master Scheduling of Academies

To increase our own expertise, efficiency,

and effectiveness in building a successful

Master Schedule

5

Why is scheduling so important?

Lack of connectionsAmong subjects

Among students

Among teachers

The silo approachEnglish

Math

Social studies

Science

SLCs provide:Subject connections

Student connections

Teacher connections

Academies add:Links outside school

Links to the future – college and careers

6

Why is Scheduling so Important ?

Fundamental need of SLC/Academy/HouseScheduling problems = Most frequent problem/ complaintIf scheduling is done badly, the results cause teacher frustrationNot to mention frustration for students & parentsMaster Scheduling is hard to do well --

scheduling is a complicated processBottom line: It is possible

7

Why is scheduling so challenging?

Scheduling is an inherently complex processMany factors to incorporate

See the “dirty dozen” or “Constraints & Opportunities”

SLCs/ Academies add two new complexities:Student “cohort” scheduling

Teacher common planning

8

Smaller Learning Community

“…an environment in which a core group of teachers and other adults within the school know the needs, interests, and aspirations of each student well, closely monitor his or her progress, and provide the academic and other support he or she needs to succeed.” (U.S. Education Department)

9

Career Academy

College preparatory curriculum organized around a career theme

Small Learning Community - a team of teachers working with a group of

students over time (sense of family)

Partnerships with Business, Postsecondary, and Community

10

Guiding Principles for Scheduling

• A commitment to a student-centered, learning-centered master schedule which supports achievement and equity.

• A commitment to a schedule which furthers rigor, relevance, and relationships.

• A master schedule building process that is open, transparent, and collaborative.

11

Guiding Principles (continued)

• A master schedule team that is empowered to make decisions, but also involves all stakeholders in coming to consensus on scheduling principles and priorities.

• A commitment to a schedule that ensures equal access to challenging curriculum, heterogeneous SLCs/Academies, and flexibility for improved instruction.

12

Who needs to be involved?Minimally-

An administrator who can make decisions about courses to be offered and teacher assignments.A counselor who meets with students and knows graduation and college entrance requirements.Non-teaching staff to support student course selection and data entry

13

Who needs to be involved….(continued)

Teachers from one or more Academies/ SLCs/Houses who have an interest in the success of personalized programs (for all students)Representative from other key stakeholder group (s). This might include a student representative, a parent from the School Site Council, etc.

14

The Stages of Master Scheduling

Planning

Student Course Selection & Tallies

Building the Master Schedule

Analysis and Adjustment

Assessment and Refinement

15

Stage 1: Planning

Assemble a Master Schedule TeamEstablish a set of Guiding Principles, Priorities, and (possibly) non-negotiables.Identify and address any scheduling opportunities, needs, or constraintsDialogue/Communicate about the master schedule plan and process with faculty, staff & other stakeholders

16

Stage 1: Planning (continued)

Develop and disseminate a Master Scheduling Process and Timeline (who/what/when/as measured by)Review/Update Curriculum and Determine Course (& SLC) offerings Develop SLC /course selection/registration packet

Recommendations: Involve students, parents, district representatives, and the teachers’ union early in the process.

Create charts and other visual representatives.

17

Sidebar: Some Academy/ SLC Planning Issues

Will all students be in Academy?Will each Academy have its own curriculum? Will all Academies have some common curriculum?Will Academies be restricted by grade level? Other parameters? (establishing course numbers unique to each Academy)What specific courses (required, elective, or both) will students take in the Academy? Outside the Academy?

18

Sidebar: Some SLC Planning Issues (continued)

Will certain courses be offered in several different Academies? (example: If World Cultures is offered in several different Academies, there will likely be a need to offer a different course number or subscript for each Academy-specific World Cultures section.)

Will some Academy courses be open to students from other Academies? (example: AP Biology in a Health Academy)

Will Academy Teacher Teams share a common planning period?

19

Stage 2: Student Course/ Academy/SLC Selection &Tallies

Distribute course (and Academy) selection/registration packet Make presentations to students/parentsComplete student registration/course & Academy selection

accuracy is criticalstudent/counselor/parent/teacher should edit/

proof; check re graduation/college requirements

• Verification to student/parent (provides window

for consultation and adjustment)

20

Course/Academy Selection & Tallies

Double check everything Finalize student Academy/course tallies & listsAssure that each Academy reflects the diversity of the school as a whole (use of data, policies)Determine final course offerings and the actual number of course sections to be offeredPrint final course tallies and conflict matrix

21

Course/Academy Selection & Tallies

Determine resource needs & review assignments (decide when to assign teachers and rooms to course sections, etc.)

Prepare Schedule Board/s, section chips, and your “game plan” (order of placing sections)

22

An Academy Sidebar

You need to take care to determine:

The courses that will be Academy/SLC specific at each grade levelThe percentage of the student day that will be spent in Academy/SLC specific coursesThe number of teachers needed on each Academy/SLC to support Academy enrollment

23

Stage 3:Master Schedule Construction

The extent of prior planning and the accuracy of student information has much to do with success of construction.Important Principles for Construction:

Equal access to challenging curriculum for ALL students.Heterogeneous Academies/SLCs- NOT separate honors, low level, special education, ELL, etc.

24

Stage 3: Master Schedule Construction (continued)

Cohort scheduling of “pure” communities of students with TEAMS of teachers.SLC/Academy enrollment is guiding force for teacher selection and assignment.SLC cohorts and/or academies MUST be scheduled first (or in conjunction with singletons) and their integrity maintained throughout the process.

25

Cohort Scheduling Example for several academies.

Academy A Academy B Academy CNon Academy Time Academy Time NonAcademy Time

Academy Time NonAcademy Time

Academy Time

NonAcademy Time

NonAcademy Time NonAcademy Time

26

Steps for Successful Construction

Always refer back to priorities set forth by the school & the scheduling team.Following the PDSA cycle- Plan, Do, Study, Act. (Maintain scheduling history/ scheduling data over time.) Step 1- Have a large visual of the schedule available to all key stakeholders. (Magnetic OR foam board works well)

27

Steps for Successful Construction

Step 2- Analyze building and plan for close proximity of SLCs/Academies

Step 3- Lay out SLC/ Academy blocks, according to course tallies, without teacher names first. (This ensures focus on student centered schedule; teacher names added later).

28

Steps for Successful Construction

Step 4- Place singleton courses and identify conflicts and other constraints (see “Dirty

Dozen”) that will possibly break down SLC “purity” for teachers and students.

Step 5- Make adjustments to SLC/Academy schedules and balance courses. (Conflict matrix helpful)

29

Steps in Successful Construction

Step 6 - Follow process to gain teacher input on SLC/Academy course assignment prior to placing teachers.

30

Dealing with Constraints

“The Dirty Dozen” (see Scheduling Guide) - Comprehensive list

Discussion/ Questions/ Clarification

Singleton courses - band, choir, orchestra, other electivesRoom assignmentsLunch/study halls

31

Dealing with Constraints

Various course levels

Transferring students

Enrollment Numbers- Section Allocation

Teacher Certifications

Room Usage

32

Dealing with Constraints

Building LayoutUnion Issues/ Pupil Contact TimeSpecialized student programs (Vocational Education, Special Education, English Language Learners)ALL = Why Scheduling is a challenge for schools implementing wall-to-wall Academies.

KEEP IN MIND: a) ACADEMIES PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES and b) EFFECTIVE

MASTER SCHEDULING IS POSSIBLE.

33

Some answers during construction-Removing the Roadblocks for electives

Creation of “Elective Lane”- Choosing to place all possible high enrollment elective courses into the exact same class period, while not having any core Academy classes scheduled during that time slot.

34

Removing the Roadblocks for Honors/ AP Courses

Removing the differentiation in courses between honors and regular and contracting for honors grades within one course.

Creating more sections of AP/IB - less of regular; increasing student access to AP/IB; Increasing expectations that more Academy students take rigorous course/s; embedding pre-AP/IB curriculum; adding AP/IB seminars/support classes.

35

Removing roadblocks (continued)

Sharing teachers across academies for singleton honors courses.

36

Removing the Roadblocks by Offering All Course Levels

Creating equality and equal access to all SLCs by having ALL course levels available in each SLC/Academy.

Often requires teachers to teach multiple course levels within the SLC.

37

Successful Construction Example: 10th Grade Academy Cohorts7- Period DayPeriod Team A

(Math on)Team B Team C Team D

(Math on)

1 ****** Elective/Intervention

Elective/Intervention

Elective/Intervention

Elective/ Intervention

2 Academy Core Academy Core

Math Elective/Intervention

3 Academy Core Academy Core

Academy Core

Academy Core

4 Academy Core Academy Core

Academy Core

Lunch

5 Academy Core Lunch Lunch Academy Core

6 Lunch Elective/Intervention

Academy Core

Academy Core

7 Elective/ Intervention

Math Elective/Intervention

Academy Core

38

Multiple Career Academy-Student Day Example.

Period Academy A Academy B Academy C Academy D

1 ****** Elective LaneAP’s/ Music

Elective LaneAP’s/ Music

Elective LaneAP’s/ Music

Elective LaneAP’s/ Music

2 Academy Core Core Academy Elective

Elective/Intervention

3 Academy Elective

Academy Core

Core Academy Core

4 Core Academy Core

Academy Core Lunch

5 Academy Core Lunch Lunch Academy Core

6 Lunch Academy Elective

Academy Core Academy Elective

7 Core Academy Core

Core Core

39

Sample Academy Schedule4 x 4- DeKalb County, GA

1 Academy Core Academy Core

2 Academy Core Academy Core

3 Outside Core Outside Core

4Math Lab/Elect. Seminar

Reading Lab/ Elective

Career/Tech

40

Successful Construction4x4 VPA Academy Schedule

1 VPA Art VPA English

2 VPA Music VPA Social Science

3 Math/AP Math/AP

4Civics

InternshipGovernment

41

Single Academy Teacher Schedule

Period Social Studies

English Career Tech.

Academy Elective

1 Academy Plan

Academy Plan

Academy Plan

Academy Plan

2 Academy Core

Outside Course

Academy Tech.

Outside Course

3 Academy Core

Academy Core

Core Lunch

4 Outside Course

Academy Core

Academy Tech.

Academy Elective

5 Academy Core

Lunch Lunch Academy Elective

6 Lunch Outside Course

Outside Course

Academy Elective

7 Outside Course

Academy Core

Academy Tech

Outside Course

42

Additional guiding principle to construction- Using Flexible Time

The schedule provides access to improved instruction. The addition of the Flexible Block.

Always think: innovation for time with students

43

Using “flexible” time

An uninterrupted period in which a team of teachers instruct a “pure,” common set of Academy students.

Power is in teacher autonomy and access to alternate student groupings.

44

Flexible Grouping Techniques

RandomAchievementCooperativeTaskKnowledge of SubjectSkill/StrategyStudent Choice/Interest

45

Flexible Block Grouping *Skill/Strategy GroupingTeam A

40 min. Social Studies

180 minutes

40 min. Science

40 min. English

60 min.*Skill/Strategy Groups

46

Stage 4:Analysis and Adjustment

Run Scheduler- identify percentage of successImportant to shift student groups to balance numbers across SLCs, BUT equal access and heterogeneous groupings must be maintained.SLC teacher teams can offer key input at this stage as to what would improve their ability to instruct and plan.

47

Stage 4: Analyze & Adjustment (cont.)

Balancing teams and maintaining purity changes how student conflicts are fixed.

Students are often moved across cohorts to fix a conflict instead of individual courses being changed.

Important to visually identify where shortages and “cross-overs” are for academy specific teachers.

48

Stage 4:Analysis and Adjustment

Sudents Academy Attempted Scheduled Conflicts Reason Adjust. Made

225 VPA 225 205 20 AP BIO x

331 BUS.MARKET 331 311 20 SYMP. BAND x

115 COMMUNIC. 115 112 3 SPEECH 1 x

119 ENVIRON. SCI. 119 106 13 BAND+CHOIR x

83 PHILOSOPHY 83 72 11 SOC./PSYCH LI x

96 HUMAN SERV. 96 81 15 LATIN 2 x

139 TRAVEl/TOUR. 139 128 11 IINTRO TO MNG. x

49

Stage 4:Analysis and Adjustment

The goals of the Analysis, Adjustment, & Distribution of Schedules:

To complete a final analysis

To distribute the schedules

To make any further adjustments as needed

Year to year Tracking of Needs in process important!

50

Stage 5: Assessment & Refinement

Do you remember the first year you taught?

That is probably about where you are now

Do you remember your fifth or tenth year of teaching?

That is where you can get to

51

Internal Assessment

Learning from those involved in the process

Administrators

Counselors

SLC Leads

The scheduling team

Plus looking at the results

52

External Assessment

Learning from those affected by the results

StudentsParentsThe rest of the teachers/staff

Through:Focus groupsSurveysData

53

A cycle of improvement

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” - George Santayana

What principles and priorities were met?

What principles and priorities were not well addressed?

How can you improve the process?

Keep your eye on the goal, and celebrate progress

54

Beginning Questions to Answer

How many courses will be academy specific at each grade level?What percentage of the student day will be spent in academy specific courses?How many teachers will be needed to cover academy enrollment?How will you ensure teachers are trained to implement academy themes in courses?What will be the entrance point for students coming into the academy?

55

Beginning Questions to Answer

What will be the culminating experience or the end point of the student experience?Where will externships and community experiences be implemented in schedule (will there be a course in which this occurs?)How does your computer scheduling system handle student tags and course subscripts?Who will be responsible for protecting academy purity in the schedule?Answer these, the schedule is CAKE!!!!

56

Staying in Touch

patricia510@gmail.comNeubigm@hotmail.com

http://casn.berkeley.edu CASN_News-subscribe@yahoogroups.comhttp://www.capture-education.comhttp://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sslc/tutorials/index.php