The Field Guide

Accelerating Learning, Equity and Well-Being

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULES

How do we structure time on and off campus to engage students in safe and meaningful learning?

WHY

To ensure students are safe and learning, using space and time effectively will be more critical than ever. Schedule guidelines allow teachers to plan learning experiences with prioritized goals in mind; set clear expectations and communicate them to students and families; and, most importantly, build continuity, routine, and connection for students in a time of uncertainty.

WHAT

All schools should plan for students to be taught both on and off campus. Schools will have to plan for fewer students on campus at once and possibly some students doing distance learning full-time. While the use of space will be different for each campus, there are some common themes and opportunities for leaders to structure time for students and staff. Do not spend time trying to replicate how things were done previously. Instead, think about how they need to be done now. Below we offer possible scheduling models for hybrid learning and guidance on how to pick one that works best for your schools and families.

THE BOTTOM LINE

DO NOW: Read this ACSA report that explains various models and get inspired.
DO NEXT: Work through this day in the life of (DILO) simulation guidance to see how a potential schedule would impact your students.

HOW

Models to Consider

ACSA provides a detailed report that considers various options for scheduling on-campus time, including:

Alternating weeks: Half of the students are on campus each week, alternating throughout the year.
- Here’s an example plan from ERS for a high school context.
At-risk rotations: Tier 1 students are on campus one day per week, and tier 2 and 3 students have additional days on campus for intensive support.
- Here’s an example from ERS of a middle school schedule prioritizing on-campus time for students with the highest needs.
Two-day rotations: Students are divided into two groups, each of which is on campus two days per week and distance learning the other three days.
- Here are examples of this type of schedule from Lakeville Area schools for elementary, middle, and high schools. Here are example plans from ERS for elementary and middle schools.
Elementary on-campus/secondary distance learning: Elementary students learn face-to- face, spreading out across all the campuses in a district, while secondary students continue distance learning.
- ERS provides an example plan for K-3 instruction in person, with grades 4 and 5 learning remotely.
Gradeband phase-in: The youngest students come back to school first, and older students phase in as social distancing needs change.
- Here’s a high school example from ERS in which only 9th grade students are on campus.
Rotating block schedule for middle and high school: Classes meet fewer times per week for longer, with different tracks of students rotating throughout the week. Students are on campus two days a week and off-site the rest of the time.
One-day rotation: Students are divided into five groups; each group is on campus one day per week and distance learning the other four days.

KEY RESOURCE:

ACSA report offering various options for scheduling on-campus time.

READ

Picking a Model:

Picking a model for your students will depend on your staffing, available space, and community needs, but here are a few considerations as you choose your model:

Facilities. How many rooms do you have available? Can you make other spaces available in new and creative ways (e.g., moving some activities outside, using rooms previously used for storage or testing)?
Staffing. How can teacher schedules change? What training is needed to prepare them for potentially new roles, tasks, or teaching methods? How will you ensure staff members have adequate time for planning and extra preparation required for remote learning?
Transportation. What are families’ transportation needs given your new schedule? Can buses transport fewer students at once to comply with social distancing requirements?
Health and safety. Time and funding will need to be allotted to comply with the mandated screening, cleaning, and distancing guidelines. Consider these as you plan:
- Build time for health screenings into the schedule. A staggered start time is recommended.
- Consider physical distancing requirements and limiting movement when possible. Consider making hallways one-directional and releasing classes in staggered ways. Create structures for maintaining physical distancing through the school day, from arrival through departure. Keep in mind that creating structures for all previously unstructured transitions and settings will create additional demands on employees and may feel very restrictive to students and staff.
- Ensure that students’ nutritional needs are met. This may mean that lunch or recess may need to take place in the classroom or with new rules.
- Limiting exposure will require dividing students into cohorts when possible and reducing contact between those cohorts.
- Cleaning time, needs, and costs will change. This means allotting time for cleaning, purchasing equipment, and possibly reallocating maintenance staff. Consider opening campuses on different days of the week so cleaning teams can be shared across campuses.
Technology tools and access. If students are off-site for multiple days or some students do not attend classes on campus for long periods of time, your team will have to address internet and device access limitations at home and on campus to ensure equity.

RESOURCES FOR CHOOSING A MODEL:

An example schedule that incorporates two-day rotations (with an extra day for one group), cohorting, and staggered start and end times to promote health and safety
A San Diego County Office of Education document on equity-focused scheduling considerations, with sample schedules
CCEE checklist of key components to include in hybrid school-day schedules
Free schedule builder tool from Unlocking Time
IDEA scheduling decision tree

Other Considerations

As you consider which models will work best for your families and staff, you may also want to take into account these additional considerations:

Embrace a new paradigm: Avoid dwelling on how things were done previously to focus on how they need to be done now and moving forward.
- The Center for American Progress provides this list of innovative schedules adopted by schools across the country in recent years. These aren’t specific to COVID-19 but can help expand your considerations of what’s possible.
- A high school in the Cotati-Rohnert Park school district switched to a 3×3 yearly schedule to support students.
Plan for multiple scenarios: Plan for multiple instructional scenarios, as things may continue to adapt and change and distance learning may become necessary again. Here are some resources for distance learning planning:
- Distance learning schedules and tools in the CCEE Continuity of Learning Playbook
- ERS resource on remote scheduling considerations
- Oxnard School District designated language instruction schedule for remote learning
- San Diego County Office of Education virtual support frameworks for distance learning planning in elementary school, middle school and high school/alternative school contexts

Foster connection and community:
- What can you do to help students stay connected to their schools? Options include assigning support staff to check in on students on their off-campus days, keeping elementary students with their teachers from last year (“looping”), and livestreaming morning meetings or the school news channel so off-campus students can see them.
- Leverage your afterschool partners and community-based resources for an extended school day or support for families.
- Make sure teachers have opportunities for one-on-one check-ins to assure students are safe. Also offer opportunities for small-group instruction.
Ensure consistency: Keep when students are on site as consistent and predictable as possible. Avoid last-minute changes or varying every day. Routine is good not only for learning but also for social-emotional well-being.

Testing Your Plan

Run DILO simulations: Test your plans using day-in-the-life-of (DILO) simulations, like this one from CCSSO, to be sure they will work for your community of learners. Pretend you are a student: what is the process of logging in, showing up on campus, or attending class?
Focus on equity: Consider the needs of students who were most significantly impacted most by shelter-in-place when building your schedule.
Seek parent input: Engage parents as part of the solution; put together a small focus group of parents to test your assumptions. Run them through the schedule and listen to their feedback and concerns.

Sample Schedules and Planning Tools by Grade Level

SAMPLE SCHEDULES:

Sample schedules for elementary, middle, and high schools to help you plan your student experience.

Elementary

Two-day rotation model from Lakeville Area Schools
Two-day rotation example plan from ERS
ERS’s example plan that prioritizes K-3 in person
ERS’s example plan for parents opting in to in person learning
San Diego County Office of Education virtual support framework for distance learning planning

Middle

Two-day rotation model from Lakeville Area Schools
Two-day rotation example plan from ERS
ERS’s example plan that prioritizes on-campus time for highest-need students
San Diego County Office of Education virtual support framework for distance learning planning

High

Two-day rotation model from Lakeville Area Schools
ERS’s example plan that prioritizes 9th grade in person
ERS’s example plan for alternating weeks
San Diego County Office of Education sample block schedule that incorporates two-day rotations, limits mixing of students through cohorting and staggered start and end times, and includes health screening considerations
Grossmont School District reopening plan with schedules

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

What schedule changes did we make during COVID that had a positive impact and are worth continuing?
How are we using our schedule in bold ways to create improved outcomes for students? Where do we have opportunities to improve scheduling?
How can we leverage our schedule to meet the needs of various learners?
Do we have schedules that accommodate both distance learning, onsite learning, and hybrid learning?
How are we taking into account the most vulnerable learners in these decisions?
Where are the opportunities to hear from families and students about what they need or want?

The Field Guide for California LEAs