Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

Abstract

The primary purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the effects of instructional scheduling type on student achievement and school outcomes. This study specifically analyzed the differences between traditional schedules and block schedules on the six dependent variables of Algebra I End-of-Course Assessment scores, English 10 End-of-Course Assessment scores, Biology I End-of-Course Assessment scores, attendance rates, graduation rates, and college and career readiness rates and controlling for socioeconomic status, school size, and average years of experience of faculty. Data from all Indiana public high schools from the 2012-2013 school year were obtained from the Indiana Department ofEducation. A sample of 202 schools, which included 101 traditional schedule schools and 101 block-schedule schools, was derived from the total populations of 452 public high schools. Correlation results indicated a significant negative correlation between the socioeconomic status and the six dependent variables; however, school size and average years of experience of faculty were not correlated to the six dependent variables. ANCOVAs revealed socioeconomic status was statistically significant on all six dependent variables; however, there were not statistically significant differences among the two groups on five out of six of the dependent variables. College and career readiness rate was the only dependent variable that had statistically significant results. These results suggested that scheduling type (traditional vs. block) has no significant effect on the five student and school outcomes of Algebra I End-of-Course Assessment scores, English 10 End-of-Course Assessment scores, Biology I End-of-Course Assessment scores, attendance rates, and graduation rates; however, schedule type may affect college and career readiness rates. Furthermore, socioeconomic status was significantly related to student achievement and school outcomes and school size and average age of experience of faculty were not.

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