Bottom Line: New Jersey gives more choices to their students for electives. Even required areas like Computer Tech and Financial Lit students have a choice. This is why their graduation rate is higher in my opinion.
Utah simply required 1 more year of an elective. I think they do this so they can get an office aide or a peer tutor. Peer Tutoring can be looked at as Volunteer time and office aide is child labor. This kids just sit there and do nothing.
Kids want to be done and burn out happens. Kids should not feel like they have to take a class just because. If schools want to increase their graduation rate give more choices and don't make them waste their time. Kids want to get on with their life.
I'm also not a fan of the block scheduling because high school is too young to sit for nearly 1 1/2 hours. Teachers have them finish assignment in class that could be done at home. Many times the smarter kids are done while the other kids waste their time. . 1 1/2 hr classes are okay for college because you go, listen to the teacher and leave to do your homework and those classes are only a semester or 10 weeks. Adults! Imagine sitting in English for 1 1/2 hours 2-3 times a week. The block schedule in any high school is a way to force kids to get homework done. Again, less choice, and kids get burn out.
180 days is the average for schools and is the same in Utah (990 hours) and New Jersey, but New Jersey averages 185 days with no weekly early out days. Jordan High School is set to begin a late start beginning in 2015-2016 school year and start each day earlier. What's the point? Utah also requires 990 hours, and if figured that only means a full 165 days. The rest do not have to be full days, only 4 hours to count as a day.
click here for the hours required per state: http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/77/14/7714.pdf last update 2007
The link will tell how many days: http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/95/05/9505.pdf last update 2011
Early out days are quite popular in the western states. I had never heard of them until I moved to NM. I simply couldn't get my mind wrapped around the early out once a week. Then I moved to Utah and they have late start. The kids start at 9:30 am versus 7:50. This is for middle school and at some high schools. Do you really think the kids accomplish any thing on a late start day or early out day? It simply throws the working parent into a tizzy trying to juggle the schedule now.
Now, I am not a fan of simply saying kids don't need a break and teachers don't need more planning time, but I feel like the time they have is precious and it should be used the most efficient way possible. Most of the time the districts okay an early out day so they can have district meeting. Are they meeting efficient and improving education that much more by having the meetings?
And then you look how each high school schedules their day and see differences. There is the ABCD day to fit 13 classes through the year.
HOMEROOM 7:30 A.M. - 7:40
A.M. PERIOD 1 7:45 A.M. - 8:27 A.M.
PERIOD 2 8:32 A.M. - 9:14 A.M.
PERIOD 3 9:19 A.M. - 10:01 A.M.
PERIOD 4 10:06 A.M. - 10:31 A.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 5 10:36 A.M. - 10:48 A.M.
PERIOD 6 10:53 A.M. - 11:18 A.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 7 11:23 A.M. - 11:35 A.M.
PERIOD 8 11:40 A.M. - 12:05 A.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 9 12:10 A.M. - 12:22 P.M.
PERIOD 10 12:27 P.M. - 12:52 P.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 11 12:57 P.M. - 1:09 P.M.
PERIOD 12 1:14 P.M. - 1:39 P.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 13 1:44 P.M. - 2:26 P.M.
There is the block schedule that has classes at near 1 1/2 hours long.
Periods 1-4 on A day and 5-8 on B day.
If they want to give kids more time then just give them a four day week of class and Wednesdays off. This way they can fit extra curricular and other things into their lives and teachers aren't left with wasted class time because there is nothing a high school student hates more than doing NOTHING in class.
Here is a quote from a study:http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Organizing-a-school/Time-in-school-How-does-the-US-compare
"If considering block scheduling, look at the research. Block scheduling is intended to increase time on task, but the research results are mixed, with the 4X4 block producing the least gains. However, block scheduling can also provide time for teachers’ professional development or pull-out time for struggling students.
What credits are required?
Utah simply required 1 more year of an elective. I think they do this so they can get an office aide or a peer tutor. Peer Tutoring can be looked at as Volunteer time and office aide is child labor. This kids just sit there and do nothing.
Kids want to be done and burn out happens. Kids should not feel like they have to take a class just because. If schools want to increase their graduation rate give more choices and don't make them waste their time. Kids want to get on with their life.
I'm also not a fan of the block scheduling because high school is too young to sit for nearly 1 1/2 hours. Teachers have them finish assignment in class that could be done at home. Many times the smarter kids are done while the other kids waste their time. . 1 1/2 hr classes are okay for college because you go, listen to the teacher and leave to do your homework and those classes are only a semester or 10 weeks. Adults! Imagine sitting in English for 1 1/2 hours 2-3 times a week. The block schedule in any high school is a way to force kids to get homework done. Again, less choice, and kids get burn out.
180 days is the average for schools and is the same in Utah (990 hours) and New Jersey, but New Jersey averages 185 days with no weekly early out days. Jordan High School is set to begin a late start beginning in 2015-2016 school year and start each day earlier. What's the point? Utah also requires 990 hours, and if figured that only means a full 165 days. The rest do not have to be full days, only 4 hours to count as a day.
click here for the hours required per state: http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/77/14/7714.pdf last update 2007
The link will tell how many days: http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/95/05/9505.pdf last update 2011
Early out days are quite popular in the western states. I had never heard of them until I moved to NM. I simply couldn't get my mind wrapped around the early out once a week. Then I moved to Utah and they have late start. The kids start at 9:30 am versus 7:50. This is for middle school and at some high schools. Do you really think the kids accomplish any thing on a late start day or early out day? It simply throws the working parent into a tizzy trying to juggle the schedule now.
Now, I am not a fan of simply saying kids don't need a break and teachers don't need more planning time, but I feel like the time they have is precious and it should be used the most efficient way possible. Most of the time the districts okay an early out day so they can have district meeting. Are they meeting efficient and improving education that much more by having the meetings?
And then you look how each high school schedules their day and see differences. There is the ABCD day to fit 13 classes through the year.
HOMEROOM 7:30 A.M. - 7:40
A.M. PERIOD 1 7:45 A.M. - 8:27 A.M.
PERIOD 2 8:32 A.M. - 9:14 A.M.
PERIOD 3 9:19 A.M. - 10:01 A.M.
PERIOD 4 10:06 A.M. - 10:31 A.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 5 10:36 A.M. - 10:48 A.M.
PERIOD 6 10:53 A.M. - 11:18 A.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 7 11:23 A.M. - 11:35 A.M.
PERIOD 8 11:40 A.M. - 12:05 A.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 9 12:10 A.M. - 12:22 P.M.
PERIOD 10 12:27 P.M. - 12:52 P.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 11 12:57 P.M. - 1:09 P.M.
PERIOD 12 1:14 P.M. - 1:39 P.M. LUNCH
PERIOD 13 1:44 P.M. - 2:26 P.M.
There is the block schedule that has classes at near 1 1/2 hours long.
| Period 1 (7:50 AM - 9:19 AM) |
| Period 2 (9:25 AM - 10:49 AM) |
| Period 3A (10:49 AM - 11:54 AM) |
| Period 4 (1:00 PM - 2:25 PM) |
If they want to give kids more time then just give them a four day week of class and Wednesdays off. This way they can fit extra curricular and other things into their lives and teachers aren't left with wasted class time because there is nothing a high school student hates more than doing NOTHING in class.
Here is a quote from a study:http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/Main-Menu/Organizing-a-school/Time-in-school-How-does-the-US-compare
"If considering block scheduling, look at the research. Block scheduling is intended to increase time on task, but the research results are mixed, with the 4X4 block producing the least gains. However, block scheduling can also provide time for teachers’ professional development or pull-out time for struggling students.
Low-cost options, like four-day weeks, can prove beneficial to achievement as well. The research isn’t definitive, but some districts that have tried this are seeing unintended benefits in the form of higher test scores, decreased disciplinary problems, greater collaboration among teachers, and higher morale."
What credits are required?
Utah School
New
Jersey School
English/Language Arts 4.0
Credits
Social Studies 3.5 Credits
1.0 credit Geography for Life
1.0 credit World Civilizations
1.0 credit U.S. History
0.5 credit US Government and Citizenship
Mathematics 3.0 Credits
2.0 Foundation/Core credits
1.0 additional Foundation/Core or Advanced Applied, or Foundation
(AAF) credit
Science 3.0 Credits
2.0 credits from two different:Earth, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics
1.0 additional Foundation/Core or Advanced Applied, or Foundation
(AAF) credit
Healthy Lifestyles 2.0 Credits
0.5 Health
0.5 Participation Skills & Techniques
0.5 Fitness for Life
0.5 Physical Education Elective
Arts 1.5 Credits
Computer CT : 2 credits
Career & Technical Ed. 1.0 Credits
Computer Technology 0.5 Credits
General Financial Literacy 0.5 Credits
*Elective Courses 8.0 Credits
*TOTAL CREDITS: 27.0 Credits
|
English 4 years/ 20 credits
Social studies 3 years / 15
credits
US History
World Cultures
Mathematics 3 years/ 15
credits
Algebra I
Geometry
Algebra II
Science 3 years/ 15
Biology
Chemistry and / or Environmental Earth and /or
Physics
PE HEALTH 1 year/ 5 credits
World Languages 2 years/ 10
credits
ELECTIVES: 12.5 credits
(ARTS with
choices)
Financial Lit ½ year/ 2.5 credits
-
Visual /Performing 1 year/ 5 credits
-
Computer Tech or Career 1 year / 5 credits
*35 credits/7 classs electives
130 for graduation
|
27 required classes
in Utah! 19 required classes in Utah + 8 electives: Requires ½ Government and Citizenship and 1 yr
more of Heath/ PE, and ½ year more arts,
Utah has government and citizenship, more PE and more ARTS and
1 more classes of electives which include office aide and Peer Tutoring.
26 in New Jersey:
requires ½ more of Computer tech, and 2 years world language
NJ has 2 years of world language.
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