previous school year

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "previous school year" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the academic year that occurred before the current one. Example: "Students who attended the previous school year are eligible for the scholarship."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

In the previous school year, Davon did not pass the third grade.

The New York Times

The term of directorship runs from April of the previous school year to the following February.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The athletic budget, however, is up 6 percent to $94.6 million from $89 million the previous school year.

The New York Times - Sports

During the previous school year, only 3.5 percent of students at Bronx Science were black and 7.2 percent Hispanic.

The New York Times

In the previous school year tenure was denied to 25 teachers, or.5percentt of those eligible.

The New York Times

Prices fell in real terms at several flagships compared with the previous school year, the report found.

The Washington Post

a. Division of roles will occur in the final week of April of the previous school year.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

It was probably the most difficult course offered in U.S. high schools, and the results at West Potomac the previous school year had not been good.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

If you weren't in great shape during the previous school year, then get in shape!

WikiHow

For the past two years, incoming freshmen who had passed algebra in the previous school year scored an average of 17percentt on an algebra test.

MIT Technology Review

The paper also examines which factors influence high SP. 75% of students in LSS and 80% of students in USS reported SP in the previous school year.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Specify the exact dates of the "previous school year" if the context requires precision. For example, "the 2024-2025 school year".

Common error

Avoid using "previous school year" when you actually mean the current one. Double-check dates and context to ensure you're accurately referring to the past, not the present.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "previous school year" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun (usually related to statistics, events, or changes). It specifies a particular timeframe within an educational context. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Academia

25%

Science

9%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "previous school year" is a grammatically correct and very common way to refer to the academic year preceding the current one. According to Ludwig AI, it is widely used across various contexts, including news, academia, and scientific research. Its primary function is to provide a temporal reference point for comparing data or describing events. When using this phrase, it's important to maintain accuracy and avoid confusing it with the current school year. Alternatives such as "last school year" or "prior academic year" may be used depending on the level of formality required. While precise language is always important, Ludwig AI validates the broad applicability of this expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

last school year

Uses "last" instead of "previous", a common synonym in this context.

prior academic year

Replaces "school" with the more formal "academic", suitable for formal contexts.

academic year prior

Rearranges the words while retaining the meaning; "academic year" is used instead of "school year".

the year before

Simplifies the phrase to a more general temporal reference, assuming the context is clear.

past academic session

Utilizes "session" in place of "year", offering a nuanced difference in describing the academic duration.

preceding school term

Substitutes "year" with "term", focusing on a specific portion of the academic year.

earlier school year

Emphasizes that you are referencing an unspecified school year that occurred before the one currently in discussion.

the school year before this one

Expands the phrase for clarity, useful when the temporal relationship needs emphasis.

in the school year preceding this one

Uses a more formal and verbose structure, emphasizing the temporal order.

the year immediately prior to the current one in education

Provides a detailed and explicit definition, suitable for technical or legal documents.

FAQs

How can I use "previous school year" in a sentence?

You can use "previous school year" to refer to the academic year before the current one. For example, "Enrollment increased by 10% compared to the "previous school year"".

What is an alternative to saying "previous school year"?

Alternatives include "last school year", "prior academic year", or "the year before", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "previous school year" or "last school year"?

Both "previous school year" and "last school year" are acceptable. "Previous school year" might be slightly more formal, while "last school year" is more common in everyday conversation.

How does "previous school year" compare to "current school year"?

"Previous school year" refers to the academic year that has already ended, while "current school year" refers to the academic year that is presently in progress.