Pros and Cons of the Four-Day Week
Proponents of a four-day school week argue that it offers several benefits, including cost savings, improved student attendance and increased teacher morale. By reducing the number of school days, schools can save money on transportation, food and energy costs. This can be especially important for rural districts where students may need to travel long distances to get to school. District administrators also claim that the appeal of a four-day work week helps recruit teachers in areas where it is consistently difficult to attract new staff.
In addition, some studies have shown that student attendance improves under a four-day school week. With a longer weekend, students have more time to rest and engage in extracurricular activities, which can lead to better attendance during the week. This, in turn, can lead to improved academic performance.
Furthermore, a four-day school week can help to boost teacher morale. With an extra day to plan lessons, grade assignments and attend professional development opportunities, teachers can feel more prepared and engaged in their work. This can lead to better job satisfaction, which can translate into better classroom performance.
However, opponents argue that longer school days can be difficult for students, especially those in elementary grades. Four-day school weeks can also pose a challenge to families who are unable to find affordable, enriching care arrangements on the fifth weekday. Further, students who are food insecure may not have access to sufficient meals during the off day. If optional activities were offered by schools on the fifth day, lack of transportation could limit access.
What the Research Says
Education researchers have pointed out that little is known about the effects of a four-day week on student outcomes. While large-scale research has yet to be performed, some state-specific studies have been published. The results are mixed; one study of students in Colorado showed a statistically significant improvement in math scores among students on a four-day schedule, while a similar study found no significant differences in student performance.
ARand Corp. studyused quantitative and qualitative methods and collected surveys and interviews on the four-day school week experience in Idaho, New Mexico and Oklahoma. The research team examined student achievement, student health outcomes (sleep and physical activity), cost savings and more. The report highlights positive qualitative findings, such as improvements in student attendance, behavioral and emotional well-being, and school climate. But it also indicates when there was no difference in quantitative data, including in the areas of sleep, fatigue and student achievement.
A report from Oregon State University and NWEAon the effects of four-day school weeks on student achievement and within-year growth found very little difference on rural district academic effects, but a more significant difference for four-day schools in suburban areas. The report also found that reading suffered more than math on four-day schedules.
A studyin the journal of Educational Research and Policy Analysis showed that shortened schedules can lead to calmer and safer schools. Across Oklahoma, 411 districts adopted the four-day model for at least some of their schools. Researchers found that Oklahoma high schools saw less fighting and bullying among students after switching from a five-day-a-week schedule to a four-day schedule. However, the researchers also found that a four-day schedule had “no detectable effect” on student attendance or scores on the ACT college entrance exam.
Future of the Four-Day Week
The four-day school week has gained popularity in recent years, with many school districts adopting this schedule in an effort to improve student performance and reduce costs. While the impact of a four-day week on academic outcomes is still a matter of debate, it is clear that more districts are adopting the schedule each year. Most four-day-a-week districts are smaller and rural, but a few notable exceptions have raised questions about the possibility of more urban districts moving toward a four-day week.Colorado School District 27J, located in the Denver metro area, movedto a four-day week in the 2018-19 school year. Today, the district serves more than 22,600 students and is the largest in the state to adopt the four-day schedule. The district provides full-day child care for a fee on Mondays, when schools are closed, for students ages 5 to 12, and it continues to evaluate needs and capacity for these programs. The local Boys & Girls Club also expanded its services on Mondays. Overall, it is likely that the four-day school week will continue to be a topic of discussion in education circles for years to come.
FAQs
Impact on student performance
Additionally, the extra day off can provide students with more opportunities for rest, family activities, and independent learning. However, detractors argue that a longer school day might be counterproductive, leading to decreased concentration and productivity as students become tired.
Does a 4 day school week decrease bullying? ›
Results indicate that four-day school weeks decrease per-pupil bullying incidents by approximately 31% and per-pupil fighting incidents by approximately 27%, but have no detectable effect on other incident types, ACT scores, or attendance.
Do 4 day school weeks improve test scores? ›
Findings varied by statistical model. The big trade-off, RAND found, was in student achievement. Math and English test scores didn't fall when schools switched to a four-day week. But they didn't grow as fast as they did in similar districts in the same states that kept a five-day schedule.
Why more schools are considering a 4 day week despite some drawbacks? ›
More than 2,100 public schools in 25 states have switched to a four-day school week, often in hopes of recruiting teachers, saving money and boosting student attendance, researchers estimate.
How would a 4 day school week affect students mental health? ›
A shorter school week means fewer days of intense academics, allowing everyone to recharge over the long weekend. “It helps keep my stress level down because school and classes are very stressful and can take a negative toll on mental health,” one student shared.
How do longer school days affect students? ›
With such long hours, students are not getting the proper amount of physical activity and exercise. This can lead to a variety of health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and other physical ailments. Finally, long school hours can also lead to a feeling of isolation and loneliness for students.
Why 4 day school weeks are better than 5 day weeks? ›
Proponents of a four-day school week argue that it offers several benefits, including cost savings, improved student attendance and increased teacher morale. By reducing the number of school days, schools can save money on transportation, food and energy costs.
Is the four-day school week detrimental to student success? ›
The research is mixed on the impact of four-day weeks on student achievement, but most studies find small to medium negative impacts on achievement on average. These negative effects are roughly equivalent to a student being two to seven weeks behind where they would have been if they had stayed on a five-day week.
Does a four-day school week improve sleep? ›
A 2021 study by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation found that 4-day/week elementary kids got more sleep during the school week than 5-day/week kids, but middle and high school sleep remained the same. Call this one a draw.
Why should school days be shorter? ›
Shorter school days enforce healthier sleep schedules across many adolescents and boosts their ability to focus and learn in classes. Additionally, it gives students the freedom and opportunity to balance work and after school activities while also maintaining a proper sleep schedule.
What States Have Four-Day School Weeks? Several states have introduced four day school weeks, including Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, Oklahoma, and Oregon. In fact, 60 percent of Colorado's districts and around 40 percent of New Mexico and Oregon's districts have implemented a four-day school week.
Why are 3 day weekends good for students? ›
An extra day of the weekend would give students an additional twenty-four hours to study or finish assignments. It would also give teachers more time to plan fun, interactive lessons that students are more engaged and interested in.
What are the negative effects of a 4 day school week? ›
Overall, the study found that four-day school weeks significantly hurt students' fall-to-spring test score achievement in math by a 0.05 standard deviation and in reading by a 0.06 standard deviation.
What are the positive effects of 4 day school week? ›
Thompson says that the most significant benefit of a four-day week is that it offers flexibility to district administrators, teachers and students. Teachers in four-day districts are usually on the clock on the day that students are out of school, although working on campus is often optional, Thompson said.
Which countries have a four-day school week? ›
Iceland, Japan, and France are among the countries that have begun to adopt a four-day week in some sectors, with that extra day typically being allotted on either Wednesday or Friday, or being left to individuals' discretion. But this kind of set up might not be for everyone.
Why should students go to school 5 days a week instead of 4? ›
Coming to school five days per week provides the best consistency and routine for children, which we believe is fundamental to strong development at this early, formative age.
What is the idea of the 4 day work week? ›
In a four-day workweek, workers log 32 hours per week rather than 40 hours per week. Benefits and pay, however, remain the same. The four-day workweek certainly existed before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the pandemic increased conversations around and adoption of the alternative schedule.
Would students benefit from a shorter school day? ›
Leaving more time for after school activities gives students more time to sleep, leaving them energized and ready to learn the next day. Shorter school days enforce healthier sleep schedules across many adolescents and boosts their ability to focus and learn in classes.
