Research Plan for the Study of Senior High School Alternative Scheduling Systems in the Montgomery County Public School System.

This research proposal is designed for the Montgomery County, Maryland, Public School System with the aim of documenting and analyzing changes that occur when 14 of the 22 high schools in the system switch from a six- to a seven-period schedule. The seven-period time table is being adopted in order to (1) allow students taking full academic loads the opportunity of taking special electives and advanced level courses; (2) reduce students' scheduling conflicts; (3) provide more time for teachers to engage in activities with individual students, while being involved in departmental and team planning; and (4) enable schools with smaller staffs to offer courses comparable in size to schools with larger staffs. The goals of the study include monitoring and analyzing the amount and kinds of additional courses taken by students, effects of the proposed changes in the length of class period on the teachers and students, and the added cost of staffing and transportation to the school system. Also included in the proposal is information on the type of instrument to be used as well as the collection and analysis of the data. (AOS)