Chapter 5: Utilizing Schools Effectively

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1 Chapter 5: Utilizing Schools Effectively Utilizing Schools More Effectively Increasing the utilization of existing school buildings is an effective method of reducing the demand for new student places. Innovative measures to increase school utilization are already in place in many school boards across Ontario. Many of these measures have been tried in other jurisdictions in Canada and in the United States. number of these approaches are described in this chapter and are being considered by school boards in Ontario as part of a multi-faceted approach to utilizing schools more effectively. Other provinces have developed systems to reward school boards which implement measures to improve school utilization. For example, in 1995 the British Columbia Ministry of Education, Skills and Training announced that the Ministry would assign a higher priority to project reuests from school districts which implement initiatives to improve school utilization. Implementation of the measures outlined in this chapter can reduce the need for capital for new construction and can save on the operating costs that would have been incurred had those new buildings or additions been constructed. For example, if the need for new pupil places were determined based on 90% rather than 80% of MRC, the current need for pupil places would be reduced by approximately 146,000 pupil places (see tables on pages 2-10 and 2-11) This represents a capital cost savings of nearly $1.8 billion (see tables on pages 2-21 and 2-22). school board typically pays approximately $400 per pupil place annually for cleaning, utilities and minor maintenance. s shown in the previous paragraph, an increase in utilization from 80% to 90% of MRC would produce a significant savings in capital cost. It would also result in an operating cost savings of approximately $58,000,000 each year. The measures to increase school utilization which are suggested in this chapter are not necessarily applicable in all school board jurisdictions in Ontario or to all schools within a jurisdiction. However, each school board will find that some of the suggested measures are appropriate for its jurisdiction. Timetabling Timetabling systems should ensure the highest possible utilization of school facilities. The opportunity for increasing room utilization is greatest at the secondary level, where students rotate through different rooms. Classrooms can be timetabled at close to 100%; the utilization of laboratories and other specialized facilities will be somewhat lower. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-1

2 Utilization of rooms in elementary schools can be increased by ensuring that classrooms are not dedicated to a particular teacher or subject but that they are general purpose space available to all users. Effective Use Existing Teaching Spaces lthough it may seem mundane to recommend that all rooms which are designed as teaching spaces be used as teaching spaces, a school board often finds, when a room-byroom analysis of all of its facilities is conducted, that some classrooms are used as office space, storage areas or other non-teaching functions. Some rooms are rented to third parties, often for nominal rents. n example is the Halton Board of Education which recently undertook such a study and ascertained that, combined with more effective timetabling, the capacity of the existing spaces exceeded previous measures by approximately 3,000 student places. This effectively eliminated the need for several new school buildings and millions of capital dollars. Scheduling of the School Year Many jurisdictions, particularly in the United States, have implemented the concept of year-round schooling. Some boards in Ontario have also experimented with this idea. Year-round schooling reorganizes the school year to distribute vacation days more evenly throughout the year. Generally, the long summer vacation period is divided into shorter, more freuent holidays. Year-round schooling does not necessarily imply a change in the total number of days of school attendance for students nor a change in the curriculum. In many locations, yearround schooling has been adopted to improve the academic performance and learning retention of students rather than to improve the utilization of school facilities which is a secondary benefit. Year-round schooling creates the opportunity to increase the utilization of school facilities uite dramatically depending on the model which is implemented. Multi-track models involve the division of the student body into two or more groups for whom instructional and vacation sessions are staggered so that at least one group is on vacation at any one time. This effectively releases space within the school building. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-2

3 The popular year-round education models and the corresponding gain in school capacities shown in the following table have been defined by the National ssociation for Year- Round Education based in San Diego. Year-Round Education Model and Gains in Facility Capacity Year-Round Model Features and Options Gain in Facility Capacity Single Track ll students and teachers attend classes and have vacations at the same time. This model is used to provide continuous instruction rather than to save space. Two Track See discussion of School Day following on page 5-7. Three Track Students are divided into 3 groups with one group always on vacation. Four Track Students are divided into 4 groups with one group always on vacation. Five Track Students are divided into 5 groups with one group always on vacation. 0% up to 100% up to 50% up to 33% up to 25% There are many different ways of implementing year-round education. In the U.S.., where the school year is 180 days, the following calendars are common. 45/15 Single Track Plan The school year is divided into four 9-week terms separated by four 3-week vacations. Students and teachers attend school for nine weeks (45 days) and then take a three week vacation (15 days). Four additional weeks each year are allocated to winter and spring vacations and official holidays. 45/15 Multi Track Plan Students are divided into two or four groups. For example, in the 4-track version, three groups attend school while the fourth is on vacation. Each group attends school for 9 weeks and then has a 3-week vacation in continuous rotation. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-3

4 60/20 Plan Students attend school for 60 days and then vacation for 20 days in continuous rotation so that there are 3 school terms and 3 vacation terms each year. 60/15 Plan Sixty days of school are followed by 15 days of vacation. common summer vacation of 3 to 4 weeks is possible with this calendar. 90/30 Plan Two 90-day sessions are separated by two 30-day vacation periods. In addition, the school is closed for the traditional winter holiday and spring vacation. Quarter Plan There are four 12-week periods in the fall, winter, spring and summer. Students may select or be assigned to any combination of the four uarters. The curriculum is organized so that each uarter stands alone. Quinmester Plan There are five school sessions each year with students reuired to attend 4 of the 5 parts. This calendar is most commonly used for secondary level schools. Vacations average 7 weeks. Five Track/Five Term Plan The school year has five terms of 45 days and students attend 4 of the 5 terms. There is a common summer break of approximately 3 weeks. Concept 6 Plan The school year consists of six terms of approximately 43 days each and students attend 4 of the 6 terms but must attend 2 of the 4 terms consecutively. This plan is particularly effective at releasing space, up to 50%. Flexible ll-year Plan The school is open year-round and students are reuired to attend the minimum number of days stipulated for school attendance within their jurisdiction. Several schedules can be accommodated within this calendar including the traditional 9 month model, attendance for 180 days spread across the full year or 180 days plus extra school time if the student wishes additional learning opportunities. Schools adopting this model generally place a focus on individualized learning. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-4

5 s of the 1995/96 school year in the United States, more than 1.7 million students were attending year-round schools in 39 states. It is interesting to note that a number of states have legally declared Saturday and Sunday to be schedulable school days which expands the options for improving the rate of utilization of school facilities. Canada has moved less uickly than the United States to introduce year-round school models. In British Columbia, the Ministry of Education Skills and Training rewards school boards implementing efficiency scheduling initiatives including year-round education by granting higher priority to their capital project reuests. In Ontario, a number of boards have established or are planning to establish year-round schools. The London Board of Education has established a pilot year-round secondary school at Sir George Ross Vocational School. Year-round schooling is working well in the Muskoka region at Hunstville Public School. With its seasonal economy, summer is the busiest time of year for many businesses serving cottagers and vacationers; many parents are happy to have their children attend school during the summer months and be available for holidays in the winter off-season. The Simcoe Board of Education is planning to introduce two or three year-round elementary schools in They have carried out an extensive consultation process with parents and staff and have identified 10 potential schools from which two or three pilots will be chosen. The Durham Board of Education has established a pilot year-round elementary school program at C.E. Broughton. Niagara Falls Secondary School in the Niagara South Board of Education has introduced a seamless school year based on intake points every 40 days; this school, however, caters to adult clients. It should be noted that most of the examples above are a school within a school, not the full school. Most of the initiatives to establish year-round schooling in Ontario have been implemented for academic reasons and not to save on space. This could change in the future. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-5

6 The Ministry of Education and Training may wish to consider mandating year-round schooling in the areas of Ontario which have the greatest need for additional pupil places. This would eliminate most of the need for new pupil places. Before taking such a decision, a number of factors would have to be considered. The most significant issue will be the social and cultural changes which would be reuired. The residents of Ontario have been accustomed to long summer vacations for their children. Would a change to the status uo be acceptable? Year-round schooling would also have significant impact on extra-curricular activities. For example, school plays and concerts are major events during a school year. Rehearsals for these events are facilitated when all students are on the same track. Similarly intramural athletic teams would be affected if a multi-track system is implemented. lthough year-round schooling would eliminate most of the capital reuirements for additional schools, there would be some additional costs incurred. ir-conditioning systems should be provided in schools which will be in use during the summer months. The cost of retrofitting an air-conditioning system into an existing school would be roughly five to ten per cent of the cost of providing an entire new school. With year-round schooling, some parents may choose for their children to attend school for more than the normal number of instructional days. If this were permitted, and if a significant number of students chose to do so, there would be a corresponding increase in operating costs. Variations to the School Day There are a great many alternative approaches to the scheduling of the school day which can effectively increase the capacity of school facilities. Some of the variables which can affect space utilization are reviewed below. Number and Duration of Periods large number of combinations of period length and number of periods in the school day can be worked out within the school day currently approved by the Ministry, many resulting in significant gains in the capacity of the school. For example, a School Day Panel set up by the York Region Board of Education to explore various school day models found that changes to the number and duration of periods resulted in accommodation gains ranging from 10% to 20% (in combination with changes in other variables such as the length of the school day and the use of common or multiple lunch breaks). Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-6

7 Length of the School Day Lengthening the school day (including increasing the number of periods and providing spare periods for students and staff) provides an opportunity to significantly increase the capacity of a school. One of the models examined by the York Region School Day Panel outlines a 7:00 a.m. to 5:35 p.m. school day with 8 periods and peak attendance during the middle of the day and a resulting school accommodation increase of 57.5%. similar model demonstrates a 100% gain in school capacity through a 7:45 a.m. to 7:35 p.m. school day with 8 periods and block scheduling of Grade 9 to 10 students through 4 consecutive periods while Grade 11 to OC students are able to choose attendance time frames. Double Shifts The same building can accommodate two schools with the introduction of double shifting. The first school attends in the morning while the second shift attends in the afternoon. This model may reuire a shortened school day for each shift with a corresponding increase in the number of school days per year. Double shifting increases school capacity by 100%, but is not applicable for all schools. The limited number of daylight hours during the winter months gives rise to concern for the safety of younger elementary students traveling to and from school. In rural areas, bussing would be an issue. Nevertheless, double shifting of selected secondary schools, particularly in urban areas, could assist some boards in increasing their utilization. Compressed Week nother approach is the compressed week and the introduction of school attendance on weekends. One school is scheduled into the school building on three days (for example Monday, Tuesday and Friday) while the second school is scheduled into the building on the alternate three days (for example, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday). Naturally, the school day must be lengthened in order to achieve the reuired total instructional hours per year for students or else the total number of days of attendance must be increased. In the model of this type examined by York Region, 4-period days run from 8:10 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. and the school year is not lengthened. The compressed week model with two schools utilizing the same school building each week effectively increases school capacity by 100%. Of course these various models have a number of disadvantages which may be unpopular with various affected groups (students, parents, school staff). Early morning periods, late day periods and Saturdays may not be favoured by many stakeholders. In addition, many Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-7

8 of these approaches are more appropriate for secondary schools in which older students can cope with spare periods, more independent learning, traveling to school before or after daylight hours, etc. On the other hand, these innovations may be welcomed by some groups such as students trying to accommodate part-time jobs or staff interested in longer work days in exchange for longer weekends. number of these school day models are currently in place in Ontario. Double shifting however has only been implemented as a temporary measure to provide student places until new accommodation has been constructed. It is recognized that increasing enrollment at a school is counter to the direction that many educators would like to take. Many believe that smaller is better and that the most effective teaching and learning take place within smaller schools settings. One approach that has been used to address this issue is to organize the daily schedule to effectively create a school within a school. There are a number of ways of achieving this and combining the advantages of higher utilization with smaller groups of students. Independent Learning Electronic learning encompasses a wide variety of open learning and distance learning technologies, all of which encourage independent learning by students and which can reduce the load on school facilities. In sparsely populated areas, distance education methodologies such as correspondence, radio, telephone, television, video conferencing and Internet linkages can provide educational services to remote communities and can reduce or eliminate the need for school buildings and residences. In all locations, the use of computers is incorporated into subject curriculum as much as possible in order to ensure that students gain the understanding and skills essential in today s high technology world. Particularly at the secondary level where students are able to work unsupervised, students can be assigned activities using electronic learning. This can involve work on specific software packages tailored to deal with a unit of curriculum or can involve independent research using the Internet, CD-ROMs or similar resources. Students can work in open computer laboratories or resource centres or even at home to complete their assignments. With proper monitoring appropriate for the grade level, these activities can reduce in-class instruction time and therefore overall school space reuirements. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-8

9 It is not intended to suggest that electronic learning can replace in-class instruction, merely that there may be a role for electronic learning to reduce space reuirements modestly in some schools at the higher levels. There is sufficient experience to show that it can work for some types of learners in some types of programs. New curriculum models incorporating these types of initiatives should be tested in pilot projects to ensure that student achievement is not compromised. Work Placement nother source of efficiency is cooperative work placements where students receive academic credit for volunteer or paid work activities outside of the school. s with yearround schooling and scheduling of the school day discussed earlier, this activity approach can increase the capacity of a school building. Inter and Intra Board Movement Utilization can be improved by moving students from elementary to secondary schools and vice versa, where opportunities exist. The Study Team estimates that at the 90% of MRC target, there are currently approximately 2,000 secondary school places that could be used for elementary pupils. One alternative would be to move some elementary students in grades 7 and 8 to the secondary schools. Movement between coterminous boards can also improve utilization and decrease the need to construct new pupil places. The Study Team estimates that at the 90% of MRC target, there are currently approximately 8,500 pupil places that could be used by a coterminous board. The distribution of these pupil places and the number in any single location, however, make it difficult to use these pupil places effectively. In addition, most coterminous boards are experiencing similar growth patterns. Thus a current surplus of pupil places with one board will often be reuired because of growth within that board within the next few years. There are generally fewer opportunities to move pupils between school boards in different jurisdictions because of the distances involved and the transportation costs. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-9

10 Use of Portables Many school boards use portables to increase the capacity of a school. While the use of portables is not generally seen as an appropriate long term solution, portables can serve a useful function. For example, there are instances where there will be a short term demand for pupil places which will not be sustained because of falling enrollments. Portables can meet this temporary need. In a new subdivision, there will usually be a lag time from the sale and occupancy of the first houses until the construction of a new school. Portables at a neighbouring school or even on the site of the future school can service this need until the construction of the new school is complete. Enlargement of Class Sizes Notwithstanding the limitations that result from the current collective agreements, an increase in class size will increase the utilization of school facilities. This option should be considered where physical facilities and academic program reuirements allow it. malgamation of Schools. There are some schools for which the utilization cannot be increased because the enrollments are too low. Consolidation of these schools should be considered. In addition to improved utilization, the amalgamation of schools may also allow a board to offer alternative academic programs which may not be feasible at smaller schools; Recommendations It is recommended that: 7.0 Utilization of School Facilities 7.1 The Ministry of Education and Training encourage all school boards to increase the utilization of existing school facilities by implementing funding polices and practices designed to reward the school boards which use their facilities most effectively. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-10

11 7.2 School boards use the techniues outlined in this chapter to increase the utilization of their existing schools, as necessary to meet the ratio of enrollment to Ministry Rated Capacity to ualify for capital funding for additional student places. 7.3 The Ministry of Education and Training mandate some form(s) of year-round education and/or double-shifting of secondary schools if the provision of additional pupil places cannot be accommodated within the available financial resources. Utilizing Schools Effectively nalysis of Capital Funding for School Facilities Page 5-11