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National Academy Foundation
Taming the Master Schedule
Patricia Clark CASN - Career Academy
Support Network/ U.C. Berkeley
Mike Neubig Capture Educational Consulting Services
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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?
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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)
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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The Stages of Master Scheduling
Planning
Student Course Selection & Tallies
Building the Master Schedule
Analysis and Adjustment
Assessment and Refinement
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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
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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.
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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?
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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?
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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)
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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
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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)
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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)
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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).
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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)
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Steps in Successful Construction
Step 6 - Follow process to gain teacher input on SLC/Academy course assignment prior to placing teachers.
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Dealing with Constraints
“The Dirty Dozen” (see Scheduling Guide) - Comprehensive list
Discussion/ Questions/ Clarification
Singleton courses - band, choir, orchestra, other electivesRoom assignmentsLunch/study halls
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Dealing with Constraints
Various course levels
Transferring students
Enrollment Numbers- Section Allocation
Teacher Certifications
Room Usage
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Removing roadblocks (continued)
Sharing teachers across academies for singleton honors courses.
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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.
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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
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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
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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
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Successful Construction4x4 VPA Academy Schedule
1 VPA Art VPA English
2 VPA Music VPA Social Science
3 Math/AP Math/AP
4Civics
InternshipGovernment
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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
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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
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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.
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Flexible Grouping Techniques
RandomAchievementCooperativeTaskKnowledge of SubjectSkill/StrategyStudent Choice/Interest
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Flexible Block Grouping *Skill/Strategy GroupingTeam A
40 min. Social Studies
180 minutes
40 min. Science
40 min. English
60 min.*Skill/Strategy Groups
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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.
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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.
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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
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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!
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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
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Internal Assessment
Learning from those involved in the process
Administrators
Counselors
SLC Leads
The scheduling team
Plus looking at the results
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External Assessment
Learning from those affected by the results
StudentsParentsThe rest of the teachers/staff
Through:Focus groupsSurveysData
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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
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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?
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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!!!!
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Staying in Touch
[email protected]@hotmail.com
http://casn.berkeley.edu [email protected]://www.capture-education.comhttp://www.nwrel.org/scpd/sslc/tutorials/index.php