Why should school be 4 days instead of 5 days?

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.

Why we should have 4 days of school instead of 5?

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.

Does a 4 day school week improve grades?

Our results generally indicate a positive relationship between the four-day week and performance in reading and mathematics. These findings suggest there is little evidence that moving to a four-day week compromises student academic achievement.

Does a 4 day school week improve mental health?

A four day school week will help alleviate some of the rising stress levels in our students, while aiming to enhance student, teacher, and parent mental health. It will help provide better opportunities, allow for time to strengthen families, and shift towards student-centered learning.

What are the cons of a 4 day school week?

One study found that the four-day week may hurt reading scores more than math scores. A large study released last year found that the shorter schedule held back student achievement in small-town and suburban districts but had little or no effect in rural districts.

Why School Should Only Be 4 Days A Week

Why is 4 days of school good?

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.

How does a 4 day school week affect students?

At first blush, a 2022 study of the effects of shortened school schedules in 12 states seems pretty bleak. Nationwide, researchers found significantly lower math and English/language arts achievement at schools using four-day weeks during the time period from 2009-2018 than in schools using a traditional schedule.

Why is a 4 day school week better for students?

Proponents of the schedule claim that it improves school climate and student behavior, but the evidence is mixed. In support of the claim, research shows the four-day week significantly reduces high school bullying and fighting incident rates and increases the amount of sleep elementary students get.

Does 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.

Is the US shifting to a 4 day school week?

Many school districts around the U.S. are moving to a four-day school week to retain teachers. Districts that don't want to raise taxes to pay teachers more are using the long weekend as an incentive. AILSA CHANG, HOST: There are schools across the country that are dropping a day of school every week.

What are the pros and cons of a 4 day school week?

What states have 4 days of school?

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 23 Utah schools have moved to 4 day weeks?

On the positive side, some schools report that four-day school weeks are a boon for educators because they have an extra day to plan lessons, grade assignments and attend teacher training opportunities.

Why should school days be short?

Shorter days give students an opportunity to concentrate better, as human attention span is limited. More hours of sleep and reduced stress. When kids have spare time, they can use it to get more rest, which is crucial for brain development.

What Texas schools are 4 day week?

What areas of the United States use the 4 day school week most?

As of 2019, over 650 districts across 24 states are using this schedule — a 600% increase since 1999. The schedule is particularly popular in rural Colorado, Montana, Oklahoma and Oregon. As this option grows in popularity, state leaders are eager to learn about the impacts on students and schools.

Does shorter school days improve mental health?

Shorter school days gives the student more time outside of school to accommodate other aspects of their life. This means a student finally has the time to maintain and work on their mental health. Whether this is in the form of getting restful sleep, decompressing, or pursuing hobbies!

Is Ohio going to a four day school week?

One Ohio school is eliminating Monday classes, while another is limited Friday hours. Ohio schools, like many nationwide, are dealing with a teacher shortage.

Why should school days be longer?

Students who are already keeping up have a chance to explore more. In science, longer classes allow students to carry out experiments from beginning to end in a single session. No instructional technique benefits from a rushed school day. “More time on task really makes a difference for our students,” says Dr.

Is a 4 day school week better for teachers?

Indeed, in the 12 rural school districts we visited, school administrators, teachers, students, and parents reported that the shorter week did indeed improve school morale. Teachers reported feeling less burned out and missing fewer instructional days due to illness or exhaustion.

Is 4 day school week real?

Hundreds of school systems around the country have adopted four-day weeks in recent years, mostly in rural and western parts of the U.S. Districts cite cost savings and advantages for teacher recruitment, although some have questioned the effects on students who already missed out on significant learning during the ...

Does Arizona have a 4 day school week?

Of the 58 school districts in Maricopa County, nine have adopted four-day school weeks, as of the 2023-24 school year.

Is Oregon switching to 4 day school week?

More than 1,600 schools across 24 states now have four-day weeks. In Oregon, almost a third of districts have adopted the model. Historically, schools have predominantly shifted to a four-day week in hopes it would save money.

What are the impacts of the four-day school week on early elementary achievement?

We find that above median performers on kindergarten assessments, White students, general education students, and gifted students - student groups that make up more than half our sample - are the most negatively impacted by the four-day school week during the early elementary period.

Is Minnesota going to 4 day school week?

According to the Minnesota Department of Education, there are six school districts that have been approved to hold classes four days a week instead of five. All of the districts are in rural parts of the state — motivated primarily by money that it has saved.