Brian M. Stack's School Leadership Blog

This article was written originally for MultiBriefs Education . Imagine having the option to schedule your school days as four ten hour days instead of five eight hour days. Earlier this summer, We Are Teacher’s blogger Elizabeth Mulvahill reported out that 25 states are currently testing four day school weeks . What started as a logistical solution for rural school districts is now gaining popularity in both suburban and urban ones. According to Mulvahill, “ Research by The National Conference of State Legislatures estimates 560 school districts in 25 states have at least one school with a four-day schedule. Leading the charge are Colorado (55%), New Mexico (43%), Idaho (38%), and Oregon (32%).” Of all the reasons to make the switch, many school districts cite financial savings as their top motivator. The move to a four day week can bring about some financial savings, particularly in the areas of building operations/maintenance, food service, and transportation. According ...

This article was written originally for MultiBriefs Education . Last month, ASCD released a series of articles on grading reform where both teachers and researchers identified key considerations for assessments that “fairly gauge and report students' learning” with the rise of the “no-grades classroom”, one where the traditional A–F system is replaced by teachers by one with methods that encourage students to take charge of their learning progress. Included in the list was this recent ASCD article by Jay Percell, which discussed “Strategies for Diving into Successful Grading Reform.” Percell started by making the case for grading reform, noting that traditional grades can be demoralizing to students, inhibit creative thinking, and ultimately stifle lifelong learning. Percell went on to identify a set of stratrategies that teachers could use when starting with grading reform. They included things such as: ●        Don't Go It Alone: Percell...