Building Elementary School Schedules That Meet the Moment

The heartbeat of a school is its schedule—but not all schedules provide the same opportunities to all students. Having elementary school schedules that build learning and literacy skills for all students is critical to students’ long-term success. Research shows that students who aren’t proficient in reading by third grade, for example, are four times more likely to drop out of high school.

With the historic learning loss in reading and math caused by the pandemic, it’s more important now than ever to be building strategic schedules that differentiate time for students, create opportunities for intervention, and provide teachers with the collaborative planning time and supports they need to effectively assess student progress, adjust instruction, and connect with students and families.

Everyone has a role to play in creating more strategic schedules --- it’s not just the responsibility of school leaders. States can create enabling conditions and provide clear guidance on state standards and policies. District leaders can provide direct support and coaching, scheduling template tools, ?and integrated budgeting and staffing timelines that enable strategic scheduling efforts.

Our new Elementary Instructional Planning Guide provides a roadmap for principals and teams to create more equitable school schedules that meet the needs of every student. Read our interactive guide to see four central priorities to support student learning through scheduling, with key decision points and concrete examples for each.

Read Our New Elementary Instructional Planning Guide

Additional Resources

Looking for more guidance on strategic scheduling? Check out these resources below.

• Providing Targeted Attention Through Small-Group Instruction in Early Literacy : Students don’t learn at the same pace or in the same ways. That’s why elementary schedules need to differentiate time and attention to meet students’ individual academic and social-emotional needs. Learn how with our elementary staffing and scheduling guidebook.
• Finding Time for Collaborative Planning : The way elementary school leaders organize and assign staff within the instructional day significantly impacts the teacher and student experience. Read this publication for more information on finding time for collaborative planning to improve the quality of instruction and ultimately student outcomes.

In case you missed it...

• These 15 States Could Take the Biggest Hit as ESSER Funds Expire : This Education Week article uses ERS data from our ESSER Cliff Analysis to examine which states will face the biggest challenges as COVID-relief funding expires, why this matters, and what districts can do about it. Read the analysis in Education Week .
• Schools brace for challenges as once-in-a-lifetime cash runs out : Check out this insightful article from The Washington Post on some of the tough decisions that districts across the country are making in the face of the upcoming ESSER fiscal cliff , featuring ERS' latest research and insights from Partner Ventura Rodriguez. Read The Washington Post article .

Stay tuned for more “Every school. Every student.”—a newsletter featuring tools and resources to empower?K-12 leaders to redesign school systems and improve student outcomes.

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