Equitable School Scheduling

To understand a school’s values and priorities, look at its schedule. When schedules do not meet the instructional needs of students, the result is a pipeline from PreK through grade 12 that leaks students, an outcome disproportionately experienced by students of color and other marginalized student groups. This practical and thoughtful guide demonstrates how school and district scheduling teams can become "Architects of Equity"—highly effective teams who design schedules that reflect their commitment to student achievement and social-emotional wellbeing. Including strategies to shift collective mindsets around scheduling, organize and support teaching teams, and ensure fiscal responsibility in scheduling, Equitable School Scheduling is a vital resource for secondary school leaders committed to dismantling systemic inequities inherent in school structures. Readers will learn how to Self-assess site and/or district data through a deep examination of the course of study, site schedule(s), transcripts, and graduation cohort outcomes. Design and implement an Equitable Core—a guaranteed set of courses that all students experience as a part of a meaningful graduation. Prioritize underestimated and historically underserved students in the planning of the schedule. Equitable School Scheduling helps school and district administrators use scheduling as a tool to transform the leaky pipeline to graduation into a meaningful path to post-secondary success for all students.

Table of Contents:
About the Authors Chapter 1: The Invisible Hand of Equity: Why Scheduling Mindsets Matter Chapter 2: Status Quo is Waiting Around the Corner Chapter 3: The Scheduling Whisperer: Using Equity Self-Assessments to Determine Gaps Between Intention and Action Chapter 4: Designing the Equitable Core as a Roadmap to Potential: Utilizing Courses to Support Talent, Not Sort It Chapter 5: Scheduling the Margins Chapter 6: Strategic Structures: Pathways, Teams, and Cohorts, Oh My! Chapter 7 Resource Equity: The Costs of Inequitable Scheduling Practices Chapter 8: Equity by Design: Establishing Guiding Structures for Scheduling Teams

About the Author :
Cheryl Hibbeln is the Founder and President of IlluminatED Collective, a group of transformative educational consultants who partner with business, nonprofit, higher education and school districts to support strategic planning and change management in service of equitable outcomes for all. Cheryl spent over twenty years in the San Diego Unified School District where as a principal she was part of the successful transformation of a large urban high school into four award winning small schools, and as an executive director where she designed efforts to align the district graduation requirements to the UC entry course requirements, expanded the dual enrollment program with the colleges, and redesigned secondary master schedule efforts. Cheryl knows what it takes to lead diverse district teams to achieve challenging systemic efforts in service of equity. In addition, Cheryl built impactful partnerships with business/industry, philanthropic, higher education, nonprofit and cross-district leaders to design transformative experiences for students across the city of San Diego. Cheryl’s contributions to the work in San Diego Unified has been highlighted in several recent reports including the LCFF Case Study: Giving Learning & Graduation New Meaning: One Student at a Time (UCLA), the San Diego Positive Outliers Case Study (LPI), ERS Districts at Work Series: San Diego School District: Building Paths to Graduation for Every Student, and the SDUSD Board Select Committee on Graduation Standards and Strategies. In addition to her extensive large urban school district experience, Cheryl has recently participated in National Institute for School Leadership (NISL) and National Equity Project professional development opportunities. Cheryl holds an MA in Education from Chapman University, a BA in Literature and Writing Studies from California State University, San Marcos, and Professional Clear Administrative and Teaching Credentials from the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Learn more about bringing Cheryl Hibbeln to your school or district at illuminatedcollective.org Dr. Lori Rhodes is currently an Associate Superintendent with Stamford Public Schools in Connecticut. In her current work as a district administrator, she focuses on family and community engagement, innovative educational opportunities to provide access and opportunity for each student, principal supervision and support, and student discipline. Prior to this, Lori was an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership, a secondary school site administrator and founding principal of a charter high school, and a bilingual (Spanish) teacher. Lori started her career almost three decades ago with the Teach for America program in Los Angeles. Her areas of expertise include scheduling, teaching English Learners, using data and assessments to increase student achievement, improving school culture, and developing leaders in schools. Lori is committed to providing equitable and inclusive educational opportunities by creating a rigorous and supportive culture that results in a sense of belonging for all students.

Review :
"In Equitable School Scheduling, the authors make a compelling case for how the designing of school schedules and the programming of learning experiences for students, can foster equitable outcomes.  But it takes skill in analyzing schedules and deep understanding of how to change timetables to ensure that students are enrolled in an appropriate sequence of courses that builds their confidence and competence. This book provides scheduling teams a roadmap for building schedules that will benefit students now and for years to come." "Usually, schools do not see scheduling as a tool of equity. This book clearly shows in much detail how the scheduling process is at the heart of providing equal access and opportunities for producing equitable student outcomes. Authors Hibbeln and Rhodes make a powerful case for schools to use scheduling as a tool to provide equal access to all students, including those English Learners and students in special education. Their book consistently carries the message that ′scheduling mindsets matter′ that the Master Schedule reveals the true beliefs, values, attitudes and priorities of the school…it’s the window to the soul of the school." By doing the work through the questions and considerations, Equitable School Scheduling lays out a deeply thoughtful path to more equitable scheduling. Anyone who works with scheduling practices at the secondary level should read this book." "This book is important and especially relevant during this post-COVID time. The authors make clear the link between scheduling and student success and establish the importance of having an equitable mindset when approaching student schedules. It made me more aware how much impact our daily structures have on student and school success. All educators, and especially leaders, will benefit from reading this book." "If you′re looking for high leverage tools to increase equity and achievement across the board, then this book is for you. Without strategic scheduling at all levels, the status quo will continue to knock at the schoolhouse door. Through compelling anecdotes, clear frameworks, and meaningful examples, the authors take readers on a journey of discovery and reflection. This book is a must-read if we want to change the world for learners - including those in our classrooms now and those on the way."