Block scheduling

Block scheduling is a type of academic scheduling in which each student has fewer classes per day for a longer period of time. This results in more time for teaching due to less time wasted due to class switching and preparation.Conversion to block scheduling became a widespread trend in United States schools in the 1990s. Prior to that, many schools scheduled classes such that a student saw every one of his teachers each day. Classes were approximately 50 minutes long, but under block scheduling, they became approximately 90 minutes long. Many pros and cons to this alternate method were and are debated.

The exact method used varies greatly between schools

In the example, the first day of school is an A Day, the next a B Day, the third an A Day again, and so on. A similar type of schedule, called 4x4 block scheduling, puts all the A Days in the first semester, and all the B Days in the second. The benefit to this is that it allow students to "double up" so to speak, and take two courses in one year which they ordinarily wouldn't be able to take due to serial issues such as taking Algebra 1 in the First Term and Algebra 2 in the second. This also allows students to retake a course they did poorly in. This is especially useful for seniors who may need to retake an essential class they fail, where as in other schedules they would not be able to graduate with the class at the end of the year, with this it is possible if the student is motivated enough to put in the effort to pass the class the second time through, and still graduate with the class.