[bodhimom]

I don't agree. Teachers like having fewer number of students per day. With the copious time they have, they let students work on "homework" for much of the period. Block scheduling also comes with a wasted "study class," which is another free period for the teachers. The study class is often the last period, so they use the subs from other classes to cover it, so they can go home early. Doesn't hurt anything since it is a wasted class in the first place.

Rural schools usually have more studious students, so they naturally have better test scores, so they can get away with it. Trust me, I've been there.