A school schedule is a powerful lever for change. Targeted and strategic shifts in how educators spend their time can have a significant impact on student learning. And in this tough fiscal environment where school system leaders are being asked to improve outcomes with fewer resources, it’s critical that the school schedule is reflective of school and system priorities.

One example of where we’re seeing this work in action is Alliance College-Ready Public Schools. This Los Angeles-based charter network launched the Reimagining the Alliance Educator Initiative in 2023, which redesigned schedules in three pilot schools to provide teachers with significantly more preparation time and more opportunities for professional learning and collaboration.

The ultimate goal? To improve student learning experiences and outcomes.

While each redesigned schedule is unique, they were all anchored in three primary elements:

• Double teacher planning time (at least 10 hours)
• Implement intentional planning structures, such as coaching and grade-level collaboration
• Expand students’ enrichment and intervention time

Schools are already seeing positive results. Student outcomes have improved in math and ELA, and teacher retention rates and reported satisfaction are up. As a result, the network has expanded its pilot to three new schools and plans to expand by three more schools in the coming school year.

Read this case study to learn more about Alliance’s redesigned schedules and how they’re being implemented, as well as lessons learned and advice for district and state leaders looking to do this work.

More ERS Resources on Reimagining the Teaching Job

• Reimagining the Teaching Job: This content hub highlights our vision for a reimagined teaching profession—one that’s dynamic, rewarding, collaborative, and sustainable—and offers supporting resources like research on teacher turnover trends and case studies on innovative solutions from our district partners across the country.
• Understanding the Economics of the Teaching Job: Redesigning the teaching job and improving student outcomes doesn’t have to require significant budget investment. By strategically redistributing resources, system leaders can make sustainable change that sticks.
• Teaching Job Hold’em for Districts: Teaching Job Hold’em is an interactive game that helps leaders envision a new budget in relation to key strategies for improving the teaching job. Make tradeoffs to drive instructional improvement through professional learning, better develop and retain rookie teachers, strengthen and link compensation and career pathways, and more.
• Examining School-Level Teacher Turnover Trends: A New Angle on a Pervasive Issue: Explore our interactive analysis and discover how district leaders can mitigate the turnover cycle and improve student outcomes by making the teaching job more attractive, sustainable, and supportive, particularly in high-need schools.