While state requirements vary on the number of instructional days and hours in the year, the majority of states set the school year at 180 days (30 states). It provides an extra day for actual rest to occur when it may be needed without compromising the remainder of the family schedule. A switch to a 4-day schedule gives teachers more time to use teaching styles that are more effective. There are improvements in the school financially. A local news reporter says thevve also saved substitute teacher costs because teachers don't have to take a day off for appointments (Chiaramonte 2 ). The districts which offer the 4-day work week receive more applications and more qualified applicants than the other school districts. These school districts are typically in isolated regions, are rural, and have a student body that is fewer than 500 students. There are positive outcomes that may occur, but there are negative outcomes that must also be managed. All rights reserved. Most students, especially younger ones, find that the traditional school schedule is already too long. The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation. At my school, class went from 8:15 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. about an hour or two longer than a typical five-day-week school's day. In 1995, 84 school districts were studied that had already implemented a 4-day school week. Underperforming schools and the lagging performance of U.S. students in comparison to other countries is a concern. In Alabama, the school year lasts 180 days and the school day lasts 7.03 hours. It is critical to avoid producing a longer school day and instead produce a healthier, more balanced, and more engaging one. How do longer school days affect students? Practices for sports are still held on the fifth day, as are teacher conferences, staff development opportunities, and required janitorial work. This provided the teacher with more freedom with curriculum and time management. Increases student attendance. Changing school start times will increase attendance and money brought in. So what are the pros and cons of 4-day school weeks? Webster County, Kentucky moved their school district to a 4-day week in 2003. Schools across the country offer extended learning hours. These schools save all this money from just switching to a shorter week. This issue occurs at all grade levels. Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. Why did they switch to 4-day school weeks? 5. Colorado has nearly three-quarters of its school districts on a four-day schedule. This occurs because a large number of students are moving around the school campus. (Lewis) In Bonneville, Idaho the school started later in the day which resulted in absences dropping 15%. By switching to a 4-day school week, the number of transitions can be reduced because more time can be spent on each subject. When properly implemented, extended learning time programs have the potential to increase students academic progress as well as their social and emotional development. The Chattooga County School District in Georgia shifted to a 4-day school week. But slowly over the nation, schools are switching to a four day school week. Changing the system could result in many more. Some school districts shifted to a 4-day week not because of financial needs, but others did so to make it easier to schedule sporting events or after-school activities. configuration, but nine districts were actually spending more. Shorter Classes: Depending on your school's summer schedule, you can complete a semester's worth of work in eight, five, or even three weeks. One of the primary motivations for adopting the four-day week is financial savings for the school district. Data from the National Association of Year-Round Education . A three-day weekend allows for extra leisure time, as well as a reduction in commute and energy usage. There are various school days in the United States. flexibility to teachers schedules and as a result, makes their jobs more (Solution). Students will have extra time outside of school to devote to other essential elements of their life as a result of this change. Pro: Education is a priority, and funding should not hold back efforts to provide more effective academic preparation for students. If something goes wrong . Most parents have employment which requires them to be present for 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. Many of these schools are already operating on an alternative schedule because that is what works best for their community. 3. Florida's inflation-adjusted education spending per student has roughly doubled in the last 30 years -- to $7,473 in 2000-01. Granby School District in Colorado shifted to a 4-day schedule for their 1,100 students. These are more reasons CHS should move to a four day school week. Most students, especially younger ones, find that the traditional school schedule is already too long. 5. Most parents work a 5-day schedule and struggle to adapt to a 4-day school schedule. I say this because we would have to start. Shorter class durations allow students to enroll in a variety of courses. Thats two hours of lost time for farm chores, homework, or other responsibilities that rural families have more often than urban or suburban families. Along with giving kids more time to concentrate on critical activities, a shortened school day would also provide pupils with more opportunity to relax. Advantages of a Shorter Work Week People who work a four-day week say they're healthier, happier, and less time-pressured, according to a report in The Atlantic - and their employers say their employees are much more focused and efficient. It might help school districts save money. However, disabled students often face additional challenges in accessing education and achieving academic success. Con: A lengthened school day may impede upon extracurricular activities, especially in secondary education. To see how shorter school days hurt both teachers and students, we need to look at a major structural change in education. Anticipated savings are in transportation, food and food service workers, hourly workers and utilities. 1. List of the Major Cons of a 4-Day School Week 1. Extending the school days even longer would further cut into valuable time to bond with family. Four day school weeks may not be a realistic situation for all schools throughout the nation, but for those that it is possible, the four day school week saves money, improves test scores, and further improves the school as a whole. Another is that shorter days could lead to shorter attention spans in classrooms. It can help teachers and students better manage the process of learning. To compare, a regular semester generally lasts 16-18 weeks. The Chattooga County School District in Georgia shifted to a 4-day school week. Required fields are marked *, on Why School Days Should Be Shorter? Pros of Year-Round School. Third, shorter days could reduce the amount of time that students spend on the bus or in the car, which would save money and reduce pollution. Many school districts still operate Monday-Friday, even on a 4-day week. More teaching: Covid-19 has resulted in a lot of disruption in teaching. The Rochester City Council established the Extended Learning Time initiative as part of Rochesters ongoing commitment to education. After analyzing Colorado schools operating on four-day school weeks, (Dam) reports that transportation costs can be reduced by 20%. They argue that playing with classmates helps children develop social skills. The school also doesn't have to pay anyone that is on an hourly schedule. Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. Another potential drawback is that shorter school days could lead to more after-school activities, which could be a problem for working parents. Most school districts are sticking to the 5-day schedule. The four-day week, according to the research, is far more cost-effective than the traditional five-day week. Changing the times could increase attendance by 1%, which could bring in $40 million more. Con: School districts across the U.S. are struggling to make ends meet. As with any innovation, shorter workweeks have advantages and disadvantages. 5. Many recommend that teens get at least eight hours of sleep to feel well rested and . Although the final outcome was beneficial the origins of the extended day was not welcomed. Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention. The organization 4 Day Week Global sponsored the program. Other Debates. Why shorter school days are better for teachers? The. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of Americas P-20 system. Children have more time to participate in other activities that help them learn more. What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks? It has been so problematic that in Colorado, some urban districts which switched to a 4-day school week have gone back to the traditional scheduling instead. Many schools are adding thirty minutes to both the beginning and end of the school day. However, these basics vary, depending on a company's policy. 1. Longer school days may lead to attention deficit and fatigue, making the extra class time ineffective. Better Employee Engagement A 4 day week can lead to happier and more committed employees. There are several advantages and disadvantages of 4-day school weeks to examine based on the results that districts are reporting from their efforts to implement this schedule. While small gains were made in reading, math and writing, there were no statistically significant results for children in the areas of receptive language, social skills or vocabulary. According to a Center for American Progress study, traditional school schedules are out of sync with the current economic environment. There are a few potential drawbacks to shorter school days. When teachers are more effective and efficient, student performance follows a similar pattern. Do students learn better in shorter classes? Spread the loveThis term describes a manner of classifying gifted students to place them in properly segmented classrooms. In Peetz Colorado a debate is going on four a four day school week. Wildbit, a company based in the US, a portion of whose workforce works remotely, tested the 4-day week to see whether the shorter working hours will affect employee productivity. Students that sit in lecture classrooms retain 10% or less of the information that is presented to them. This schedule works much better for parents, who often have that working schedule themselves. The final class ends 1-2 hours before the work day ends for most parents. A story on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's website said: Teachers have more time to prepare lessons and collaborate during the day. And the school districts in the state have stable student achievement levels on their standardized tests. A potential decline in academic performance for vulnerable groups. Some are facing the debate about whether to keep standardized tests or not. That means half of parents will enjoy the alternative school schedule and half will hate it. The longer school days of a 4-day week make it almost impossible for teens to find a job after school. The Melstone School District in Montana also shifted to a 4-day school week. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. In the United States, about 50% of all companies are either offering or thinking about offering a 4-day workweek for their workers. We must ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn by improving the effectiveness of our schools and ensuring that all children have access to them. It is critical to maintain a consistent schedule and not change it on a weekly basis in order to give students the best chance of success. Pros and cons of shorter work weeks. My main concern is that most kids will not be able to focus by the end of the day because the school days will be longer,and so there would be no point in trying to teach at the end of the day. Overall, there are pros and cons to shorter school days. Companies have been experimenting with shorter work days for at least a decade and, despite announcements that the 40-hour week is dead, there have been mixed results from the experiments. One is that it would likely mean that teachers would have to teach more classes, which could lead to burnout.