Oregon’s ‘Learning Time Gap’

What is the cumulative effect of one of the nation’s shortest school years?

Important notes about comparing ‘time’ Rules about instructional time differ from state

to state. In Oregon, we: Count assemblies, parent-teacher conferences,

testing, study hall and field trips as instructional time – but not lunch, recess or passing time

Allow limited instructional time reductions for snow days, professional development, and other local matters

Many schools and districts choose to exceed the minimum, including many in Oregon. Some Oregon high schools exceed annual minimum

requirements by 60 hours or more Does not include “cut days” or kindergarten

Oregon’s ‘Learning Time Gap’ Total Required Minimum Instructional Hours, Grades 1-12

Washington Nat. Avg. Oregon

12,480 hours

11,809 hours

10,890 hours

Data Source: Education Commission of the States, “Number of Instructional Days/Hours in the School Year,” 2013

Equates to about

1.5 Years Equates to about

1 Year

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Oregon’s ‘Early Literacy Time Gap’ Total Required Minimum Instructional Hours, Grades 1-3

Washington Nat. Avg. Oregon

3,000 hours2796 hours

2430 hours366

hours

570 hours

More than 1/2 Year More than 1/3 Year

Data Source: Education Commission of the States, “Number of Instructional Days/Hours in the School Year,” 2013

Oregon’s ‘Smarter Balanced Time Gap’ Total Required Minimum Instructional Hours by ‘Smarter Balanced’ State,

Grades 1-11

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11,98511,660 11,484 11,400

10,800 10,705 10,665 10,440 10,440 10,325 10,2609,900 9,900 9,900

Data Source: Education Commission of the States, “Number of Instructional Days/Hours in the School Year,” 2013

Instructional time is one part ofOregon’s ‘Education Fundamentals’ Gap Instructional Time Gap

Class Size 49th in student-teacher ratio

(Nearly 6 more students per teacher that the U.S. average)

Funding 25th-38th in per pupil/per capita expenditures Oregon spends about 88% of the national average on K-

12 46th in state expenditures on K-12 as a percent of state

taxable resources K-12’s share of the state budget has declined from

about 45% to about 39% since 2003-05Data Sources: Education Commission of the States, 2013; National Education Association, 2013; National Center on Education Statistics, 2012; Quality Counts, 2014; Legislative Revenue Office, 2014

Instructional Time

It’s about achievement and equity “Decades of research have found that there is a meaningful

relationship between time and learning, especially for at-risk students.”

“What is more important for student learning, the quality of time in school of the quantity? What years of study have demonstrated is that this question itself is a false choice. Both are essential.”

“Holding all students to the same high standards means that some students will need more time…. Standards are then not a barrier to success but a mark of accomplishment. Used wisely and well, time can be the academic equalizer.”

Hawaii – driven by a commitment to equity and excellence, legislature has put school on a trajectory to move from the shortest to the longest school year in the nation.

Data Sources: National Council on Time and Learning; Hawaii Department of Education

It’s about time……to do something about instructional time in Oregon.

Should we advocate for more instructional time?

If so, how much? If so, how would we recommend adding

and using instructional time? Days for all students? Time for students who need it? Both?

What would the best use of additional time look like in your district?