"4x4" block at Wilson HS next year?

[Anonymous]

By the way this proposal is only for comprehensive DCPS high schools, not the application schools. And Wilson is supposed to be allowed to opt-out is my understanding.

[Anonymous]

The State Board of Education's High School graduation requirements task force is meeting at 6 tonight.

Their session will be on Facebook live at this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/DCGradReqs/about/

Meeting agenda https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/DCWASH/bulletins/1e0eb98#.WqLT0nbeel5.facebook

[Anonymous]

Folks should explore the research on this. The district (I assume) is trying to use existing evidence to improve student outcomes. This is a good thing. There are certainly pros and cons to this approach. Many of the previous posts have identified the cons - all of which should be considered. But the research has found may positives. And anecdotally I can see that this approach would be helpful for my son (and many kids I know) who struggle with balancing multiple subjects/assignments/teacher styles etc. at once. Having fewer things to juggle and more time to go in depth in a few subject sounds appealing (this is how college schedules are set up...).

Please see the following for more info:
http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=14852
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3b6c/1c8fd11c583db771dd44daad78b3a33c3519.pdf
http://www.nea.org/tools/16816.htm
http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/vol3/SLMR_BlockScheduling_V3.pdf

And consider this excerpt for the second link which is a A Synthesis of Evidence-Based Research on block scheduling done by an independent academic researcher for the Department of Ed):

The findings from experimental and quasi-experimental studies have generally been positive for the effect of block scheduling on student grades, attendance rates, and graduation rates. Most researchers have reported statistically significant grade-point average (GPA) gains for students on a block schedule (e.g., Deuel, 1999; Edwards, 1995), while only some have found no effects, or adverse effects, for block scheduling students (e.g., Skrobarcek et al., 1997). This pattern continues with the findings for attendance and graduation, as a majority of studies have shown significant increases in daily attendance and student graduation rates Block Scheduling in the High School Setting after conversion to a 4X4 (Nichols, 2000; O’Neil, 1995) or A/B block scheduling plan (Buckman, King, & Ryan, 1995). The research on student discipline is decidedly mixed. Some studies have shown significant drops in discipline problems (e.g., suspensions) with block scheduling (Buckman et al., 1995; Eineder & Bishop, 1997; Thomas & O’Connell, 1997), while an equal number have
reported no change in the amount of discipline incidents as compared with traditional scheduling (Deuel, 1999; Knight, DeLeon, & Smith, 1999; Wilson & Stokes, 1999).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Folks should explore the research on this. The district (I assume) is trying to use existing evidence to improve student outcomes. This is a good thing. There are certainly pros and cons to this approach. Many of the previous posts have identified the cons - all of which should be considered. But the research has found may positives. And anecdotally I can see that this approach would be helpful for my son (and many kids I know) who struggle with balancing multiple subjects/assignments/teacher styles etc. at once. Having fewer things to juggle and more time to go in depth in a few subject sounds appealing (this is how college schedules are set up...).

Please see the following for more info:
http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=14852
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3b6c/1c8fd11c583db771dd44daad78b3a33c3519.pdf
http://www.nea.org/tools/16816.htm
http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/vol3/SLMR_BlockScheduling_V3.pdf

And consider this excerpt for the second link which is a A Synthesis of Evidence-Based Research on block scheduling done by an independent academic researcher for the Department of Ed):

The findings from experimental and quasi-experimental studies have generally been positive for the effect of block scheduling on student grades, attendance rates, and graduation rates. Most researchers have reported statistically significant grade-point average (GPA) gains for students on a block schedule (e.g., Deuel, 1999; Edwards, 1995), while only some have found no effects, or adverse effects, for block scheduling students (e.g., Skrobarcek et al., 1997). This pattern continues with the findings for attendance and graduation, as a majority of studies have shown significant increases in daily attendance and student graduation rates Block Scheduling in the High School Setting after conversion to a 4X4 (Nichols, 2000; O’Neil, 1995) or A/B block scheduling plan (Buckman, King, & Ryan, 1995). The research on student discipline is decidedly mixed. Some studies have shown significant drops in discipline problems (e.g., suspensions) with block scheduling (Buckman et al., 1995; Eineder & Bishop, 1997; Thomas & O’Connell, 1997), while an equal number have
reported no change in the amount of discipline incidents as compared with traditional scheduling (Deuel, 1999; Knight, DeLeon, & Smith, 1999; Wilson & Stokes, 1999).

Thanks for providing these resources. The following are major cons offered in two of the links you provided (the third is too long for me right now, and the fourth deals with school libraries):

Quotes from the AASA link:

•In almost all cases, the 4/4 schedule must be adapted to allow some courses to run year-long; [My note: in a school as administratively challenged as Wilson, this is completely untenable]

•Merely changing the school bell schedule will not guarantee better student performance.

•[Regarding standardized testing, such as AP tests]: The testing timetable favor[s] students in year-long classes. The examination was given to all students in May, regardless of when they took science that year. For students who had completed the class during the fall semester, the exam was taken nearly a full semester after finishing the course.

•Teachers and parents are more positive toward block scheduling when they have been involved in the decision-making process. We have found that a schedule change mandated through administrative edict to have a negative effect on the implementation.

Quotes from the NEA link:

•If a student misses a day under the modular schedule, that student is actually missing two, or sometimes even more days.
•In a 4x4, all of the information normally taught in a semester course has to be covered in one quarter.
•It is difficult to cover the necessary material for Advanced Placement courses in the time allotted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wilson teacher here. Yes, this was at the March 5th staff meeting. One reason being given is that all the other comprehensive (i.e. non-exam or special entrance process) schools already do it and this will facilitate transitions when a student transfers from one school to another. But it is, in fact, pretty rare for a student to transfer between DCPS high schools during the year. We get many more students who transfer in from out of town, from privates, or from SWW or other schools that don't use the 4 X 4, so it seems that it would just create new problems. For example, a junior who transfers to Wilson in November would not be able to catch up in core classes that would normally be year-long. They would have to wait until 2nd semester to take classes for credit, wouldn't they? IMO, this is a bad move, and definitely one being made without an understanding of Wilson's challenges. Students are able to give 10 reasons it's a bad idea within two minutes of hearing the proposal. Parents and students are probably the only voices that will be listened to in this case, so please read about the pros/cons and make yourself heard. When big decisions like this are implemented without teacher input, it's no wonder morale is low and turnover is high. The "panorama" survey regarding school climate that we received this week asks if teachers feel their voices are taken into account in school decision making. Here's your answer, DCPS. I know several veteran Wilson teachers who are ready to leave if this schedule becomes a reality. But it's just one example of larger issues about how DCPS makes it hard to develop and maintain a healthy, collaborative school culture. Really a shame.

I'm a long time DCPS parent- 18 years. I filled out the survey and bitched to no end about these incessant changes every year. Central needs to come out of their ivory tower and see what it's like when every year it's a different rubric, class schedule, testing, etc...etc. I'm opposed to this because it would mean 3 different schedules for my DC in 4 years. First year it was 7 classes, then 8 classes and now possibly 4 a semester. That's CRAZY. And DCPS doesn't know why it has high teacher turnover? They implement new things every year with no thought to implementation or implications.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One has to wonder why DCPS continues to float unpopular initiatives like this (at Wilson and everywhere else, but here we're talking about Wilson). Anyone could foresee this latest one would be unpopular. Do they enjoy making families angry? Is the benefit really worth it? If their motivation is to help students graduate, is their premise even correct?

They enjoy pulling the rug out from under programs that are threatening to be somewhat successful. They love riled-up parents who spend all of their time gearing up for and responding to these absurd proposals. It distracts from the larger problems of DCPS. They did it to SWW with the shared-principal BS, they do it to Fillmore every year, and they're always throwing Wilson to the dogs. It's a hobby for bored administrators.

+1 I've been through all those absurd proposals. For a school system with few successes, they do love to mess with the ones they have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks should explore the research on this. The district (I assume) is trying to use existing evidence to improve student outcomes. This is a good thing. There are certainly pros and cons to this approach. Many of the previous posts have identified the cons - all of which should be considered. But the research has found may positives. And anecdotally I can see that this approach would be helpful for my son (and many kids I know) who struggle with balancing multiple subjects/assignments/teacher styles etc. at once. Having fewer things to juggle and more time to go in depth in a few subject sounds appealing (this is how college schedules are set up...).

Please see the following for more info:
http://www.aasa.org/SchoolAdministratorArticle.aspx?id=14852
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/3b6c/1c8fd11c583db771dd44daad78b3a33c3519.pdf
http://www.nea.org/tools/16816.htm
http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/aaslpubsandjournals/slr/vol3/SLMR_BlockScheduling_V3.pdf

And consider this excerpt for the second link which is a A Synthesis of Evidence-Based Research on block scheduling done by an independent academic researcher for the Department of Ed):

The findings from experimental and quasi-experimental studies have generally been positive for the effect of block scheduling on student grades, attendance rates, and graduation rates. Most researchers have reported statistically significant grade-point average (GPA) gains for students on a block schedule (e.g., Deuel, 1999; Edwards, 1995), while only some have found no effects, or adverse effects, for block scheduling students (e.g., Skrobarcek et al., 1997). This pattern continues with the findings for attendance and graduation, as a majority of studies have shown significant increases in daily attendance and student graduation rates Block Scheduling in the High School Setting after conversion to a 4X4 (Nichols, 2000; O’Neil, 1995) or A/B block scheduling plan (Buckman, King, & Ryan, 1995). The research on student discipline is decidedly mixed. Some studies have shown significant drops in discipline problems (e.g., suspensions) with block scheduling (Buckman et al., 1995; Eineder & Bishop, 1997; Thomas & O’Connell, 1997), while an equal number have
reported no change in the amount of discipline incidents as compared with traditional scheduling (Deuel, 1999; Knight, DeLeon, & Smith, 1999; Wilson & Stokes, 1999).

Thanks for providing these resources. The following are major cons offered in two of the links you provided (the third is too long for me right now, and the fourth deals with school libraries):

Quotes from the AASA link:

•In almost all cases, the 4/4 schedule must be adapted to allow some courses to run year-long; [My note: in a school as administratively challenged as Wilson, this is completely untenable]

•Merely changing the school bell schedule will not guarantee better student performance.

•[Regarding standardized testing, such as AP tests]: The testing timetable favor[s] students in year-long classes. The examination was given to all students in May, regardless of when they took science that year. For students who had completed the class during the fall semester, the exam was taken nearly a full semester after finishing the course.

•Teachers and parents are more positive toward block scheduling when they have been involved in the decision-making process. We have found that a schedule change mandated through administrative edict to have a negative effect on the implementation.

Quotes from the NEA link:

•If a student misses a day under the modular schedule, that student is actually missing two, or sometimes even more days.
•In a 4x4, all of the information normally taught in a semester course has to be covered in one quarter.
•It is difficult to cover the necessary material for Advanced Placement courses in the time allotted.

I appreciate all of these data points. I can speak anecdotally to a 4 by 4 block schedule from teaching at a high poverty high school that used this schedule. It is an effective schedule for a school whose primary goal is to get all graduation requirements but not for schools where the goal is to send students prepared for college work.

I say this because the block allows kids that fail to repeat a class in the same year. Kids would take Spanish I in the fall of freshman year and then sometimes not have Spanish II until second semester sophomore year. Do you want your child to have English in the fall and not again until the following year? That is what happens in this schedule. Or at struggling high schools they require students to take English and Math all year for state testing scores.

Just my experience.

[Anonymous]

If that's what they want to do, then a "2-track" system -- one with a 4/4 schedule and the other a normal schedule for honors and AP classes -- would meet the interests of DCPS and the status quo.

[Anonymous]

Will this finally be the straw that breaks the proverbial camel's back for Wilson parents? I am amazed that you passively accept all of these changes that are supppsed to help close the achievement gap but at the expense of your high performing students. Why can't it be done in a way that meets all students where they are?

[Anonymous]

I believe we are clutching our pearls somewhat unnecessarily. The instructional superintendent (boss of the principals) for Wilson High School, Dr. Drewanna Bey, has stated that the 4x4 thing is optional for Wilson HS and up to the principal. The princpal, Ms. Martin, has said no, they don't want it. So Wilson won't be doing it next year.

[Anonymous]

Long time out of high school, but I don't get how this schedule would work for students in band and orchestra. Don't they take the course year round?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe we are clutching our pearls somewhat unnecessarily. The instructional superintendent (boss of the principals) for Wilson High School, Dr. Drewanna Bey, has stated that the 4x4 thing is optional for Wilson HS and up to the principal. The princpal, Ms. Martin, has said no, they don't want it. So Wilson won't be doing it next year.

I think you might be right. However, the other rumor going around is that Ms. Martin is leaving, so there's that too.

[Anonymous]

I emailed Suoerintendent Bey, who oversees Wilson. She confirmed this is an option for the school, but the final decision is up to the Principal. I have not heard rumors of her departure.

[Anonymous]

Can anyone who attended the parent coffee with the principal today please report on what she said about this topic?

[Anonymous]

I enjoy clutching my pearls and in general keeping myself tighly clenched so these kinds of tempests in a teapot help me get my kuegels in so everything is nice and tight.