Moving to a four-day school week also has many drawbacks. The first of which is that it shifts a financial burden to parents. Childcare for that extra day off can become a major financial burden for working parents. Parents of younger students, in particular, may be forced to pay for costly daycare services.
What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks?
- Pros of the 4-day School Week.
- Adds flexibility to teacher's schedules.
- Increases student attendance.
- School districts save money.
- Easier to recruit employees.
- Cons of the 4-Day School Week.
- A potential decline in academic performance for vulnerable groups.
- Potential for juvenile crime to increase.
Four-Day School Week Can Improve Academic Performance, Policy Study Finds. The researchers found a four-day school week had a statistically significant impact on math scores for fifth-grade students, while reading scores were not affected.
Disadvantages of Day SchoolThe biggest drawback of keeping a child in a day school is pampering by the parents. A day school tends to have more children per class than a boarding school and therefore individual attention to a student becomes difficult.
How did we land on 180 days? In the early days of American public education, schools ran like libraries—free classes were held, and children only attended when it was convenient. As American labor laws changed and child labor was outlawed, children were freed up to attend school more regularly.
Compared to a 6 day week, you can say that a 5 day week keeps students fresher and more motivated to learn. Because they have two days off each week they do not get so bored of school. They have some time off to relax and become motivated again to go to school.
A three-day weekend provides more leisure time, reduces commuting and energy consumption. Although it would mean that essential services are closed on that additional day and working days would generally be longer to fit the usual five-day workload into four.
A shorter day would leave more time for us to enjoy their lives and not have to rush through activities or assignments. We would be able to do everything at a slower and calmer pace rather than rushing. By cutting time out of the school day, the students' education level would not be hurt.
A three-day weekend means more time to spend with family and friends, to go out and explore the world, and to relax from the pressures of working life.
- 1 Pro -- The Availability of More Instructional Time.
- 2 Pro -- More Time Available For Planning.
- 3 Con -- Interference with Extracurricular Activities.
- 4 Con -- Increase in Financial Burden on System.
- 5 Con -- Logistical and Financial Problems for Parents.
If a district moved to a four-day school week, it could reduce its transportation costs by up to 20%. A 20% reduction in transportation costs would produce an overall budget savings of 0.85%. Because of this, districts tended to reduce their transportation costs by an amount closer to 10% rather than 20%.
Later School Start Times Promote Academic SuccessMany studies show that later schools starts are associated with better grades, higher test scores, and improved focus and self-regulation among middle and high school students. Improved self-regulation can also result in fewer disruptions in class.
Switching to a shorter week would also improve our education. With an extra day off, we'd have the opportunity to learn outside the classroom. As for teachers, many have reported that the four-day week has given them more time to plan. What's more, a shorter week could save money.
Generally teachers do not refuse students a trip to the bathroom. You are really only made to ask to demonstrate that you can't exit the classroom without the teacher's permission. Its an authority lesson more than anything else.
Currently, 29 states and the District of Columbia have 180
school days throughout the
school year.
These states and their required days are:
- Arkansas: 178 days.
- Kentucky: 170 days.
- Louisiana: 177 days.
- Maine: 175 days.
- North Dakota: 175 days.
- Vermont: 175 days.
- Wyoming: 175 days.
Shorter school days are ultimately better for students, as they would be more successful in their learning experiences since they'd have less stress and more energy to focus in school.
Key findings: 42 states reported that 75-100 percent of the public schools in their respective states started before 8:30 AM. The average start time was 8:03 AM. The percentage of schools with start times of 8:30 AM or later varied greatly by state.
Maybe you should consider moving to Colorado. A school district in the Centennial State has cancelled school on Mondays in favor of a four-day school week. By not having classes on Mondays, the school district will only need to pay for services like school buses and substitute teachers four days out of the week.
Colorado High School Rankings
| School |
|---|
| Rank | School | Grades |
|---|
| 1 | Liberty Common Charter School | K-12 |
| 2 | D'Evelyn Junior/Senior High School | 7-12 |
| 3 | Stargate Charter School | K-12 |
In recent years, as Colorado's economy has soured and drawn fewer people to the state, the program has continued to decline. Today, just 13 of the county's 119 schools - about 9,400 students out of a total county enrollment of 76,000 - are enrolled year-round. Next year the program will be eliminated entirely.
Re, RE, R – Reorganized. RD – Reorganized/Deconsolidated.
