Resource Allocation –
Making Choices to Prioritize
Learning Time for Students
www.timeandlearning.org
© 2011
Flexible and Creative Solutions
Simplistic Approach to an 8 Hour Day
1 Hr
2 Hrs 3 Hrs 4 Hrs 5 Hrs 6 Hrs 7 Hrs 8 Hrs
Student Day
Drawbacks
 Costly
 Difficult to negotiate
 May not suit student
or teacher needs
Teacher Day
Creative and Flexible Approach to an 8 Hour Day
1 Hr
2 Hrs 3 Hrs 4 Hrs 5 Hrs 6 Hrs 7 Hrs 8 Hrs
Student Day
Teacher Day
Paras/Aides
www.timeandlearning.org
Partners
Teacher Day
Technology
2
Benefits
 More cost effective
 Brings in outside
expertise
 Provides scheduling
flexibility for teacher
prep, PD, and
collaboration
© 2011
Resource Allocation: Time, Talent, and Money
How do we effectively expand time in a time of limited resources?
Six areas to rethink the way we use resources
Define school focus
ID student skills needed
upon leaving school
Start with the End in Mind
Deploy SPED, guidance,
support resources more
efficiently
Student Support
Examine all staff
schedules, roles, and
PD approaches
Staffing
Leverage district
resources to create more
learning time
District Policies
Create more learning
time without increasing
teacher time
Flexible Scheduling
www.timeandlearning.org
Alter ratios to save costs
while increasing learning
time for all
Student Teacher Ratios
© 2011
Rocketship San Mateo Sheedy
Location
San Jose, CA
Grades
K–5
Typical 3rd Grade Student Schedule
8:00 – 8:15
Morning Assembly
8:20 – 10:00
ELA (w/Social Studies)
10:00 – 11:40
Learning Lab
PE/Health (30 Min)
Start/End Time
8:00 – 4:00
Reading Center (30 Min)
Online Learning (40 Min)
# of Students
451
11:40 – 12:40
Lunch and Recess
% Low Income
78
12:40 – 2:20
ELA (w/Social Studies)
2:20 – 4:00
Math (w/Science)
Rocketship relies on creative
Staffing and alters its
Student Teacher Ratios to provide more learning time for all students
www.timeandlearning.org
© 2011
Rocketship Learning Lab
Rocketship’s expanded day includes a daily 100 minute Learning Lab that cost effectively
uses ELA and math software. Two classes are in Learning Lab at each period.
Class A 25 Students: Reading Center (30 Min):
- Read short books and take online quizzes
- Staffed by one non certified adult
- Switch with Class B for PE/Health
Class B 25 Students: PE/Health (30 Min):
- Taught by PE/Health teacher
- Switch with Class A for Reading Center
Cost efficiently
increase time by:
www.timeandlearning.org
Staffing Learning Lab with
2 Non Instructional Staff
Class A & B: Online (40 Min)
- Online math content
- Staffed by non-cert. adult
Creating higher Student
Teacher Ratio (25-50:1)
© 2011
AC Whelan Elementary School
Typical 4th Grade Student Schedule
7:55 – 8:10
Homeroom/Spelling
Location
Revere, MA
8:10 – 8:50
Science
8:50 – 9:35
Specials (Art, Music, Spanish)
9:45 – 11:15
ELA
11:15 – 11:30
Snack/Bathroom Break
11:30 – 1:00
Math
# of Students
757
1:10 – 1:40
Lunch
1:45 – 2:25
Social Studies
% Low Income
63
2:25 – 3:05
Physical Education
3:05 – 3:55
Acad. Support/Extension/Curr. Plus
Grades
K–5
Start/End Time
7:55 – 3:55
Whelan has restructured its
Staffing to better serve the needs of
Special Education students and provide more time for teacher collaboration
www.timeandlearning.org
© 2011
A.C. Whelan and Playworks
In 2009, Whelan partnered with Playworks to bring in a coach ($25,000/year) to
teach six periods of physical education each day.
Staffing Daily PE Classes: before 2009
Eight SPED teachers covering PE period daily
meant fewer time to support SPED students
Staffing Daily PE Classes: 2009-present
Playworks Coach frees up four SPED
teachers to support students in classrooms
Additional weekly coach duties:
- 1 period of Curriculum Plus
- 5 periods of grade wide recess
= 1 class of students
Cost efficiently
increase time for:
= PE teacher
Individual supports
for SPED students
www.timeandlearning.org
= SPED teacher
Physical education
for all students
= Playworks Coach
Teacher
collaboration
© 2011
Grabiarz School of Excellence
Typical 7th Grade Student Schedule
Location
Buffalo, NY
Grades
5–8
7:30 – 8:06
Breakfast, Arrival, Homeroom
8:06 – 8:48
Phys Ed
Individual acad. supports
8:50 – 10:16
ELA
Start/End Time
7:30 – 3:00
10:18 – 11:00
Lunch
11:02 – 11:44
Science
# of Students
372
11:46 – 1:12
Math
1:14 – 1:56
Specials (Art, Spanish, Technology)
% Low Income
96
1:58 – 2:40
Social Studies
2:40 – 3:00
Dismissal
Grabiarz uses
Flexible Scheduling and made changes to
Staffing to provide an expanded school day for all students
www.timeandlearning.org
© 2011
Grabiarz Staggered Staff Schedules
In 2006, Grabiarz expanded its school day by 60 minutes, but was unable to
renegotiate a teacher contract that would allow teachers to work additional time.
7:30
8:30
9:30
Breakfast/Arrival
(7:30 – 7:50)
10:30
11:30
12:30
Classroom Support
(7:50 – 2:40)
1:30
2:30
Dismissal
(2:40 – 3:00)
Aides and Paraprofessionals
7:30
Homeroom
(7:50 – 8:06)
7:50
3:00
Classroom Instruction and Prep
(8:06 – 2:40)
Early Group of Teachers (~70% of All Teachers)
Classroom Instruction
(8:50 – 2:40)
8:50
Cost efficiently increase
time through:
www.timeandlearning.org
3:30
2:40
Dismissal and Prep
(2:40 – 3:00); (3:00 – 3:40)
Late Group of Teachers (~30% of All Teachers)
Paying aides and paras to
staff non instructional time
Maximizing teachers’
instructional time
© 2011
3:40
Grabiarz School, Buffalo NY -- Staff Duties
Aides/Para
7:30 – 7:50
7:50 – 8:06
8:06 – 8:48
8:50 – 10:16
9:34 – 10:16
10:18 – 11:00
11:02 – 11:44
11:46 – 12:28
1:14 – 1:56
1:58 – 2:50
2:50 – 3:00
3:00 – 3:45
www.timeandlearning.org
Early Group
Late Group
Bfast/Arrival
Homeroom
Classroom
Support
Classroom
Instruction,
Prep
Dismissal
Classroom
Instruction
Dismissal
Prep
10
© 2011
Generation High School (Brooklyn, NY)
About Generation
• Grades 9 – 12 school
• Expanded school year (September to mid-July): 200 days for students
• Schedule designed for frequent, ongoing teacher collaboration
How More Time Benefits Generation’s Students
• Expanded school year helps mitigate summer learning loss
• More time with teachers in smaller classes
• More teacher collaboration time
Staffing Challenges
• Teacher contract did not allow teachers to work more than 180 days
• Wanted to add time, but did not have available funding
Solution
• Reached union agreement to stagger vacations throughout year
• Assigned dual roles to teachers and trained them to take on these
roles
www.timeandlearning.org
11
© 2011
Brooklyn Generation School – The Whole Enchilada
Key Advantage
www.timeandlearning.org
Generation Schools
Conventional School
12
© 2011
Generation Schools: Putting it All Together
200 days of learning, class sizes of 14-18 students, 1,100 hours of student
support, 50-60 students per teacher, 2 hours collaborative planning per day
Students need more
time with great teachers
Start with the End in Mind
Student Support
Teachers take on
multiple roles
Fewer non-teachers
Staffing
No change in district
policies other than
change in pay schedule
District Policies
Staggered teachers
schedules = more
student learning time
Flexible Scheduling
www.timeandlearning.org
Teacher teams trained in
guidance, and SPED
14 – 18 students per
class!!
75 students/teacher max
Student Teacher Ratios
© 2011
Staggered Scheduling: Generation High School
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Sep – mid July
All Students
th -Grade
Dec
Feb - May
9Sep
Teachers
Septh
– Oct
Dec - Feb
10
Grade Teachers
Aug
Jul
Apr - July
– Nov
11thSepGrade
Teachers Jan- Mar
May - July
4 weeks out of school time for teachers includes: 3 weeks vacation and 1 week PD and planning
www.timeandlearning.org
14
© 2011
Student Courses During Teacher Vacations
•Student receive Intensives while their teachers are out
•Expanding English and math instruction
•9th and 10th grade: field trips; 11th grade: internships
•Staffed by teachers and guidance counselor
Intensive
Courses
Gr 9
Sep
Students
Gr 10
Nov Dec
Teachers
Students
Oct
Regular
Class
Teachers
Sep
Students
Teachers
www.timeandlearning.org
Oct
OUT
Jan
INT.
OUT
15
Jan
Mar Apr May Jun
INT.
Regular Class
OUT
Feb Mar Apr May
Regular Class
Nov Dec
Regular Class
Feb
OUT
Nov Dec
INT.
Jan
INT.
Regular Class
Sep
Gr 11
Oct
INT.
Reg
Jul
Regular Class
OUT
Feb Mar Apr
Regular Class
Jun
Jul
INT.
OUT
May Jun
Jul
Regular Class
© 2011
What does the teacher day look like?
3 types of teachers
8:00 – 9:30
9:35 – 11:05
11:10 – 11:40
11:45 – 12:45
12:50 – 1:50
1:50 – 3:00
Foundation
Global
Humanities
Global
Humanities
Lunch
French Studio
Collaboration
& PD
Collaboration
& PD
Start with the
End in Mind
www.timeandlearning.org
Foundation
Integrated
Algebra and
Geometry
Integrated
Algebra and
Geometry
Lunch
Collaboration
& PD
IEP pullout
support
Collaboration
& PD
Staffing
Teachers take on
multiple roles
16
Studio
Collaboration
& PD
Title I and
other
reporting
Lunch
Physical
Fitness
Physical
Fitness
Physical
Fitness
Intensive
Technology
Today
(11th graders)
Lunch
Collaboration
& PD
Collaboration
& PD
Tech Studio
Student Teacher Ratios
14 – 18 students per class
75 students/teacher max
© 2011
What does the student day look like?
8:00 – 9:30
9:35 – 11:05
11:10 – 11:40
11:45 – 12:45
9th Grader
10th Grader
Global
Humanities
Integrated
Algebra and
Geometry
Integrated
Algebra &
Geometry
Lunch
American
Humanities
Technology
Today
Intensive
(includes
literacy)
Lunch
Lunch
French
Clay Studio
12:50 – 1:50
Earth Science
Fitness
1:50 – 3:00
IEP support
Technology
www.timeandlearning.org
11th Grader
17
12th Grader
Physics
Humanities
Lunch
Algebra 2
NYU Tech Lab
Modern
Impressionism
Sketching
© 2011
Flexible Staffing - Teachers Have Multiple Roles
Teachers whose primary role is
to teach Foundation Courses . . .
also teach a Studio course.
# -Foundation
16 -- Integrated Algebra &
Geometry
16 -- Global Humanities
4 -- Living Environment
(Biology)
6 -- American Humanities
2 -- Physics
# -Studio
3 Technology
4 Fine Arts and Music
4 Fitness and Nutrition
6 IEP/ELL pull-out services
3 Data/Testing specialists
4 Foreign Language Studio
16 Math, Science, or English
Studio
www.timeandlearning.org
18
© 2011
Flexible Staffing - Teachers Have Multiple Roles
Teachers whose primary role is
to teach Studio Course . . .
also have a secondary role.
2
2
1
1
2
2
2 Attendance
3 Data Specialist
2 Title I and compliance
reporting
1 Coverage planning
1 Student Transcript Review
1 Athletic Directing
Fitness
Music
Fine Arts
Technology
Science Studio
World Languages
Intensive Teachers provide guidance counseling support
throughout the year as they rotate through each grade
www.timeandlearning.org
19
© 2011
How do the pieces fit together?
Generation prioritizes
Flexibility in staffing and budget
Generation hires
• fewer enrichment teachers,
special-ed teachers, ELL teachers,
support staff, and aides
• no instructional coaches,
resource room teachers, or
athletic directors
www.timeandlearning.org
Generation
creates:
• Small class sizes
• Teachers taking on multiple
roles
• Teachers trained in SPED,
ELL, compliance monitoring,
guidance, and as data
specialists
• Teachers having time in
schedule for PD and to
collaborate
20
© 2011
Additional Resources: Education Resource Strategies
School Design: Leveraging Talent, Time, and Money
Part of the ERS series—Practical Tools for District Transformation—this guide offers practical
guidance for school districts to remedy specific resource misalignments that prevent the effective
implementation of strategic school designs.
http://erstrategies.org/resources/details/school_design/
School Funding Systems: Equity, Transparency, Flexibility
Part of the ERS series—Practical Tools for District Transformation—this guide helps district leaders
use existing resources more effectively through shifting spending, targeting cuts, and laying the
groundwork for long-term change. The guide includes a self-assessment also available online.
http://erstrategies.org/resources/details/school_funding_systems/
ResourceCheck™ Tool: Assess your District’s Resource Use
This web-based tool is designed to help you dive into the transformational strategies that lead to
better resource use. ResourceCheck asks you a series of questions, and then tallies and analyzes
your responses to show how close you are to best practices and where you need improvement.
http://erstrategies.org/resources/details/resourcecheck_tool/
www.timeandlearning.org
21
© 2011