School Schedules

Start times. Snow days. Year-round schooling. Block scheduling. Four-day weeks. Get research and insights into school calendars

Explainer

year round explainer
Year-Round Schooling Explained
Get the facts about year-round schooling, including pros and cons, statistics, and key definitions.
View Explainer
teacher tutor student librarian 1137620335
SDI Productions/E+
Student Achievement What the Research Says The State of School Tutoring, in Charts
Only 1 in 10 students is receiving intensive tutoring supports.
Sarah D. Sparks, February 9, 2023
•
2 min read
Close up of hands holding a smartphone and working at a laptop near a window showing a snowy day
iStock/Getty
School & District Management 5 Tips for Switching From Snow Days to Remote Classes
Two district leaders say communication, flexibility, and adaptability are key to success.
Caitlynn Peetz, January 23, 2023
•
4 min read
Buses parked covered with snow
iStock/Getty
School & District Management Will Schools Actually Ditch Snow Days for Virtual Learning? The Outlook Is Still Cloudy
More districts are substituting some remote learning, but snow days are still an option in many places.
Caitlynn Peetz, January 20, 2023
•
5 min read
Silhouette of a woman hanging from the hour arm of a clock set at 9.
DigitalVision Vectors
Teaching Profession What the Research Says Later School Start Times Could Help Teachers, Too
Most discussion of school start times centers on benefits to late-sleeping adolescents, but a new study looks at the effects on teachers.
Sarah D. Sparks, November 17, 2022
•
3 min read
School lockers with a clock on the wall above.
E+/Getty/Getty
School & District Management 4 Ways to Get Buy-In for Additional Learning Time
Two administrators discuss how they got parents and staff to support longer, or more, school days.
Caitlynn Peetz, November 3, 2022
•
4 min read
Illustration of an adult male leader manipulating the hands of a very large clock.
iStock/Getty Images Plus
School & District Management The Learning Recovery Strategy Districts Are Overlooking
Adding more required time in the classroom remains an unpopular approach, despite evidence it can help catch kids up.
Caitlynn Peetz, November 2, 2022
•
9 min read
Image shows a multi-tailed arrow hitting the bullseye of a target.
DigitalVision Vectors/Getty
School & District Management Opinion Schools Need to Reclaim Lost Learning Time. Here’s How to Start
To maximize learning time, we need to consider how time in the school year is currently being used and whether it is the best use possible.
Rick Hess, October 17, 2022
•
4 min read
Image of an alarm clock.
Canva
School & District Management Earlier School Times Don't Hurt Elementary Students' Learning, Research Shows
Districts often need to stagger start times. The evidence suggests secondary students should start later.
Caitlynn Peetz, October 13, 2022
•
3 min read
Photograph of a school bus driving down a road surrounded by fall foliage
E+/Getty
Teaching Opinion An Ode to the Classroom Rhythms of Fall: ‘Now Is Sowing Time’
October is a perfect time to step back from the minutiae of teaching and appreciate the beautiful repetition of the school calendar.
Todd R. Nelson, October 7, 2022
•
4 min read
Illustration of an open laptop receiving an email.
iStock/Getty
Student Well-Being Letter to the Editor Schools Need to Cut Back on the ‘Filler’
Removing the 'filler' in schools would likely have a bigger effect on student well-being than later start times, writes a retired teacher.
August 30, 2022
•
1 min read
Educators with strings tied to each of the clock hands and pulling them in different directions.
E+/Getty
Teaching What Time Should School Start? We Asked Teachers
Educators on social media weigh in on the tradeoffs of later start times, like sleep schedules, commutes, and after-school errands.
Hayley Hardison, July 13, 2022
•
6 min read
Image of high school students working together in a school setting.
E+/Getty
School & District Management What the Research Says The Interesting Effects 4-Day Weeks May Have on School Climate
Teenagers experienced less bullying and fighting but no effects on their attendance or grades, a study found.
Sarah D. Sparks, June 30, 2022
•
2 min read
Image of innovative solutions around staffing.
Laura Baker/Education Week and Andrii Yalanskyi/iStock/Getty
Staffing Our Schools Special Report Tackling the School Staffing Crisis
Modifying schedules, expanding the use of contractors and emergency certified teachers, and other tactics schools are trying.
June 29, 2022
Illustration of calendar on teacher's desk with days falling off.
Vanessa Solis/Education Week and iStock/Getty images
Recruitment & Retention The Latest Perk Schools Are Using to Attract Teachers: 4-Day Weeks
The pros, the cons, and the unknowns of a shorter school week.
Elizabeth Heubeck, June 29, 2022
•
8 min read
Load More ▼

Reprints, Photocopies and Licensing of Content

All content on Education Week's websites is protected by copyright. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic or otherwise, without the written permission of the copyright holder. Readers may make up to 5 print copies of this publication at no cost for personal, non-commercial use, provided that each includes a full citation of the source. For additional print copies, or for permission for other uses of the content, visit www.edweek.org/help/reprints-photocopies-and-licensing-of-content or email reprints@educationweek.org and include information on how you would like to use the content. Want to seamlessly share more EdWeek content with your colleagues? Contact us today at pages.edweek.org/ew-for-districts-learn-more.html to learn about how group online subscriptions can complement professional learning in your district or organization.

Copyright © 2025 by Editorial Projects in Education, Inc. All rights reserved.