Minutes add up under block scheduling.

Besides Manteca Unified high school students being able to squeeze in 32 classes over the course of four years compared with 24 under traditional scheduling, it reduces time teachers need to devote to roll call and other tasks at the beginning of a class before they can start teaching.

Deputy Superintendent Roger Goatcher noted that if it takes as teacher three minutes to handle non-teaching tasks at the start of a class, on the block schedule they will squeeze in 4.5 hours more instruction time with students compared to the traditional class scheduling of breaking a class into two terms with a class lasting about 50 minutes. Block scheduling calls for 90-minute classes.

“The advantage of block scheduling is that students can take more college prep/Advanced Placement and elective courses,” noted Director of Secondary Education Clara Schmiedt. “We have started to look at data, with one year, and expect to see student achievement levels continue to rise. It is difficult to pull out block influence on data since we have also had major changes in curriculum and teachers over time will become more efficient at teaching in a block schedule.”

Sierra was the first Manteca Unified high school on block scheduling. It was implemented 18 years ago. When Lathrop High opened in 2008 it started with block scheduling in place. The district’s three remaining comprehensive high schools – Manteca, East Union, and Weston Ranch — were switched to block scheduling in the 2015-2016 school year.

Goatcher noted before switching to block scheduling, the high school administration spent extensive time surveying teachers and addressing concerns.

“You can understand for people being apprehensive about doing something different,” Goatcher said.

Goatcher noted the decision was driven by the teaching staff once there was a clear majority that favored it.

“The feedback that we (have) had from teachers, students, and parents have all been positive,” Schmiedt noted.

By condensing a year-long class into half a school year there are a number of advantages for teachers which in turn benefits students.

They can employ more project-based learning and labs and allows more time to explore in-depth academic content as well as have more effective career/technical education classes.

“As an example, a home economics class may have a cake baking project that couldn’t be completed in a 50-minute period but it can be over 90 minutes,” Goatcher said.

The deputy superintendent added steps taken to assure that the needs of those students dealing with challenges such as language arts can be addressed throughout the school year given they often  learn at a different pace.

The block scheduling also gives seniors an option of taking three or four classes per term. By going for three classes they have four options: get a part-time job, extend their education by taking as course at Modesto Junior College or Delta Community College, enroll in a Regional Occupational Program course, or come to school early or stay late to work on a research project or to get individual assistance from an instructor.

Students have four instead of six classes to keep track of during a term to allow better time management on their part.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com