Comparison of selected academic achievement, attendance, and discipline referrals for students under block and traditional scheduling

Many secondary schools are using block-scheduling formats. However, few have evaluated formally the effects of intensive block schedule instructional time on student achievement. This study assessed the impact of block scheduling on student achievement at a rural middle school. Academic performances in reading, writing, mathematics, and discipline and attendance data of 8 th grade students were examined. Eighth grade students during 1999--2000 followed a traditional schedule of six 45-minute periods daily their entire time at West Coast Middle School (WCMS) grades 6th--8 th. Eighth grade students during 2000--2001 followed a block schedule of four 80-minute periods daily during their entire time at WCMS grades 6th--8th. Three hundred thirty three students participated, with 138 following the block and 195 following the traditional schedule. Initial equivalence was determined using 5th grade data: gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status, end-of-year language and math averages, and IOWA reading and math scores. Chi-square and independent t-tests were calculated to ensure equivalence of groups.;MANOVAs were conducted on three clusters of 8th grade dependent variables: (a) FLAT Reading SSS, FCAT Reading NRT, FCAT Writing, FCAT Math SSS, and FCAT Math NRT, (b) STAR Reading (three different administrations) and STAR Math (three different administrations), and (c) end-of-year language and math final average. One-way ANOVA's were calculated on attendance and number of discipline referrals. Results showed statistically significant differences favoring block scheduling on FCAT Math Sunshine State Standards (SSS), FCAT Math Norm Referenced Test (NRT), STAR Math (all three administrations), and FCAT Reading SSS. No statistically significant differences were found in FCAT Writing, FCAT Reading NRT, STAR Reading (all three administrations), end-of-year final averages in language and math, discipline, and attendance. Block scheduled math and language were increased to 80-minutes daily, while traditional classes remained at 45minutes. Implications might be that increased time led to increased student achievement.