Block Schedules in Virginia Schools: Purposes, Outcomes, and Policy Considerations

Authors

David Naff, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Meleah Ellison, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Jamelle Simmons, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Xun Liu, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Martin Darby, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Crystal R. Bell, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Shelby Garofalo, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Obed Boateng, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Wendy Rodgers, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Audrina Farrar, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Karli Johansen, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Mysia Perry, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Maggie Szydlowski, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Fatemah A. Khawaji, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow
Katherine Urban, Virginia Commonwealth UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Original Publication Date

2025

Date of Submission

March 2025

Abstract

When schools and divisions choose a daily schedule structure to follow, it is important to consider its purpose and potential impacts on students, educators, and families. The purpose of this MERC research and policy brief is to inform the work of school division leaders and school board members making decisions about whether to adopt or continue the use of block scheduling in middle and high schools. It explores the following questions:

1. What are block schedules and where are they used?

2. How are school schedules related to student outcomes and educator quality?

3. What policies at the federal, state, and local level inform decisions about course schedule adoption in the MERC region?

It concludes with five key takeaways and recommendations.

Recommended Citation

Naff, D., Ellison, M,* Simmons, J.,* Liu, X., Darby, M., Bell, C., Garofalo, S., Boateng, O., Rodgers, W., Farrar, A., Johansen, K., Perry, M., Szydlowski, M., Khawaji, F., & Urban, K. (2025). Block Schedules in Virginia Schools: Purposes, Outcomes, and Policy Considerations. Richmond, VA: Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium. *Denotes co-second authorship

Is Part Of

VCU MERC Publications