Education Code sections 46201 and 46201.2 provide daily and annual instructional minutes requirements for all grade levels. In order for the State to verify that the District is providing the appropriate amount of instructional time to students, school BELL SCHEDULES are audited for compliance. Bell Schedules that do not meet the required instructional minute time may be subject to "cost findings"/financial penalties imposed by the State.
OUSD requires the use of a standardize Bell Schedule for Elementary and Middle Schools.
Note: Your 21-22SY schedule follows template rules and is already approved
Bell Schedule Template - Plain (word)
Bell Schedule Template - Graphic (word)
Bell Schedule Template - Grid (word)
Bell Schedule Template - Plain (google)
Bell Schedule Template - Plain (word)
Bell Schedule Template - Plain ( google)
Bell Schedule Template - Graphic (word)
Bell Schedule Template - Block (word)
Bell Schedule Template - Block (google)
(All Sites Must have a Calendar - Printout of Instructional Tool Calendar Not Accepted - Template Recommended)
View the instructional minutes user guide for step-by-step instructions on how to properly use the instructional minutes tool and learn all the rules regarding determining instructional minutes that you need to know to understand to correctly input your information into the instructional minutes tool.
TK and K cannot be grouped with any other grade in the instructional minutes tool
Grades can only be grouped together if their schedules match EXACTLY and the total required annual instructional minutes are the SAME
The tool should mirror the Bell Schedule EXACTLY
Calendars in the tool must reflect both district minimum days and your site's minimum days
Bell Schedules must reflect all times for regular and minimum days
Passing periods before lunch do not count towards instructional time
Passing periods between classes, and going to class after lunch count towards instructional time
Passing period time allotments must be uniform throughout the day
Passing periods must be 10 minutes or less
Grades can only be grouped together if their schedules match EXACTLY and the total required annual instructional minutes are the SAME
The tool should mirror the Bell Schedule EXACTLY
Calendars in the tool must reflect both district minimum days and your site's minimum days
Bell Schedules must reflect all times for block schedules (if applicable) regular and minimum days
OUSD tracks instructional minutes in two ways, utilizing:
1) School bell schedules and 2) the Instructional minutes tool (found in OUSD's online portal).
Auditors use BOTH site bell schedules and the tool to determine compliance to instructional minute time requirements. Therefore, it is extremely important that your Bell Schedule is accurate and any changes to your site's schedule be first approved by Strategic Resource Planning.