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Indianapolis, IN 鈥� Raina鈥檚 ninth grade schedule at looked nothing like that of a typical high school student. Unlike most teens, she never attended single-subject, 50-minute periods like math, English and social studies. No bells rang when class was over. Instead, projects and personalized learning are key at this in Indianapolis, Indiana. 

This structure allowed Raina to choose a different schedule every six weeks, in six cycles over the year. During one cycle, she participated in a mock trial that required her to research previous cases, analyze evidence and build written cases. Six weeks later, she signed up for the next level and focused on presenting cases in front of a judge and jury in collaboration with local attorneys. She also took a journalism course that involved not just writing and researching articles, but learning the ethics of the craft. And in each cycle, Raina also took some online classes, such as Spanish, Latin and math.

It sounds overwhelming 鈥� more like college than high school. But Raina, who鈥檚 part of PPHS鈥檚 Class of 2025, said the workload is very well paced. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 give you a whole semester load of work to do in six weeks,鈥� she explained.

PPHS is breaking the mold of traditional high school learning for a reason. of all U.S. high school graduates are ready for college or career, and a full 40 percent of 12^th graders were below basic in math on the most recent . The achievement gaps are especially pronounced among students from low-income families and those who are Black and brown, because students from underserved communities have been historically and systematically neglected.

Former Indiana governor Mitch Daniels saw those disturbing patterns when he became president of Purdue University in 2013. The university teamed up with business leaders, the city of Indianapolis and the state to raise the number of students from underrepresented backgrounds attending Purdue University and going into STEM careers. They designed PPHS and it was among the winners of XQ鈥檚 to rethink the U.S. high school experience. It with a nontraditional schedule emphasizing more personalized learning and engaging, real-world projects aligned to state standards and Indiana’s workforce development goals. 

鈥淭he idea that learning needs to be time-bound, or that every student learns in the same way in increments and goes from class to class is antiquated, and doesn’t really serve students well,鈥� said Keeanna Warren, the school鈥檚 associate executive director. 

Since graduating its first class in 2021, PPHS has sent more than twice as many students to Purdue as the entire Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) district, most of whom are students of color. The school now has three campuses (in Indianapolis and South Bend) and it reported cohort graduation rates of 83, 86, and 100 percent in 2022. By comparison, the typical graduation rate in IPS hovers around 72 percent. 

In addition to , PPHS students have personal learning time between classes to work with teachers 鈥� called coaches. This allows for differentiated instruction and targeted academic assistance. Throwing out the high school playbook may seem easier for a new charter school partnered with a top-notch university than for an existing school with an established culture. But many other U.S. high schools have hacked the traditional schedule to make learning more personalized and flexible. These include all of the charters, district lab schools like in Pennsylvania and . 

Most importantly, experts say other schools can replicate these models. 

There are Fewer Obstacles Than You Think

When switching up the traditional school day, 鈥渟ometimes people think there are more barriers or requirements than there actually are,鈥� according to Laurie Gagnon, director of the Aurora Institute鈥檚 program.

School leaders often feel constrained by the , the century-old system that鈥檚 still the organizing principle for most U.S. high schools, with learning measured by seat time. However, there鈥檚 an increasing recognition that this system doesn鈥檛 serve all students, which is why to spend the next few years developing a replacement for time-based learning. 

In the meantime, Gagnon said interdisciplinary projects that combine material from different subject classes can easily meet state requirements. At PPHS, one industry project involved having students meet with public transportation officials to develop solutions that could serve the community better, using what they learned about population density and how it changed over history due to factors like interstate construction and redlining. To meet state standards, the school also schedules students into interdisciplinary classes. One called 鈥渢he candy corn catapult,鈥� for example, combines math and physics. 

Various states and districts encourage schools to create innovative schedules. In , schools can request waivers from state mandates. New Hampshire and Oregon are among states moving to give credit based on factors other than seat time, according to the . Some districts have created innovation zones through agreements with their unions. In Boston, have flexibility around hiring, budget, bell schedule and curriculum. In New York City, the union contract allows if most teachers agree to a different schedule.

In-House Tech Expertise Helps, But Isn鈥檛 a Requirement

The traditional high school 鈥渕aster schedule鈥� exists for a reason: functionality. Regardless of whether the school has 100 or 1,000 students, it can program the appropriate classes for every pupil while also ensuring courses align with student needs, the curriculum, and legal requirements.

But PPHS had no template when it did away with the master schedule in favor of more personalized learning. Staffers were scrambling in 2017 to give 150 first-year students different choices each week, in six-week cycles. The solution came from Andrew Zeller, a Purdue University graduate student in math who was on the PPHS team at the time. Zeller found Setmore, a software program typically used by hair salons and yoga studios. Signing up for an electric car project using Setmore was as easy as scheduling a trim and highlights. But he still had to program each student鈥檚 selections manually so they鈥檇 know their next week鈥檚 schedule by Friday. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I slept on Thursday nights for two years because I was building the master schedule on Thursday night,鈥� Zeller recalled.

Setmore worked well until the school鈥檚 staff and population doubled a year later with a new class of ninth-graders, causing everything to slow down. Thankfully, the next solution came from someone else in-house, engineering and science teacher Drew Goodin. He wasn鈥檛 a software programmer but he was able to get Google sheets to work with an automation app. He named the new system Drewber 鈥� his first name plus Uber. 

Of course, most schools don鈥檛 have someone on staff with these talents. But Goodin acknowledged there is an old school alternative: 鈥淚ssuing paper tickets to classes could be a solution to this problem too,鈥� he said, adding that changing the schedule wasn鈥檛 as important as maximizing student learning through the optimization of coaches, students and space. Schools can do all of those things within the master schedule. They can also make smart use of time, space, and technology 鈥� one of the six researchers say can lead to more equitable outcomes for all pupils. 

A Shared Vision Matters, and So Does a Collaborative Culture

At a school devoted to personalized learning, it鈥檚 important to create a culture that allows constant iteration, PPHS leaders said. In its second year, for example, PPHS tried building its own curriculum through an online tool. But that was a huge lift for the staff. Making too many changes 鈥渏ust about destroyed the school,鈥� said executive director Scott Bess. Teachers grew frustrated. Some quit. Founding principal Shatoya Ward, who now serves as chief of school operations, recalled the staff demanding an intervention. But instead of a mutiny, they worked together. She recalled them asking, 鈥淲hat are we going to do about this?鈥�

Gagnon, of Aurora, said that it鈥檚 critical to carve out space for teachers to learn, have opportunities for professional development, and be a part of the design process. PPHS leaders said they鈥檝e absorbed this lesson. They began offering fewer courses to make the schedule more manageable. The school also switched from six-week to eight-week cycles in the fall of 2022, and it鈥檚 become less enamored with online learning. But constant iteration relies on a shared vision, Bess said.

鈥淚’d say the biggest thing is, remember your why,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚n our case, we want to get more underrepresented minority students and low-income students able to access a place like Purdue.鈥� 

Listen to Feedback from Your School Community

PPHS鈥檚 vision for more personalized, project-based learning wasn鈥檛 just a challenge for its faculty. It also presented a hurdle for students and parents used to traditional grading systems and test prep. Each project is tied to specific , such as problem-solving, analyzing sources and using a growth mindset, that colleges and employers identified as lacking among too many high school graduates. That鈥檚 why Warren said communication was critical. 

鈥淲e had open forums and town halls to receive feedback from parents and share the 鈥榳hy鈥� and 鈥榟ow,鈥�” she said. 鈥淪ome parents remained skeptical through graduation, and that feedback was helpful for our team’s growth.鈥� Over time, Warren said PPHS saw more teachers, parents and students buy in once they realized the school was working. 

Victor, who graduated from PPHS in 2022 and now attends Purdue University鈥攚here he鈥檚 studying integrated business and engineering鈥攕aid he enjoyed his high school鈥檚 variety and flexibility. At other schools, he said, 鈥測ou’re put in a box,鈥� with a routine that becomes redundant and tiring. Like many PPHS students, Victor took advantage of a summer program allowing him to attend Purdue University. He also took dual credit courses at another local college, giving him a leg up as a college freshman. 

Since the onset of COVID-19, there鈥檚 been more interest in flexible approaches to learning. 鈥淚 think the pandemic has opened up some questions about where does learning happen, and how do we document it,鈥� Gagnon said. And PPHS could provide schools across the country with valuable answers to those questions.

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