flexibility to teachers schedules and as a result, makes their jobs more Many companies have found that when workers are able to work a schedule which suits their needs, letting them work how they like, then their workers are more productive. The Pros and Cons to Longer School Days. When shifted to a 4-day school week, they reported that they were forced to focus on instruction much more than they had previously. In Alabama, the school year lasts 180 days and the school day lasts 7.03 hours. Teachers have more time to prepare lessons and collaborate during the day. Schools would also have to change their bus transportation systems which are designed to run as efficiently and inexpensively as possible. There will be days, even with the best efforts of everyone involved, where a student is stuck with an after-hours activity, deep into the night, after being in class for most of the day. Rural areas report that their student attendance has increased since switching to the 4-day school week. This issue occurs at all grade levels. Traditional vs. Some are facing the debate about whether to keep standardized tests or not. Some school districts, particularly those that are in regions of the U.S. where snowfall creates a handful of cancellations each year, find that they are forced to reduce, if not eliminate, certain holidays or vacations. Students are engaged more fully when their school schedule is expanded, and they learn more efficiently when they are exposed to a more stimulating environment. According to new research, the four-day week is a popular way for parents and students to spend quality time together. It requires longer school days. 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. Time of day effects may be induced by variations in the quality of instructors instruction, changes in the learning abilities of students, or differences in student attendance patterns. They do have a full day free for a job in some instances, but trying to find work on the weekends only, especially in a rural community, is never a guarantee unless you dont mind working on a farm, that is. It was suggested that a combination of four-week summer holidays and a school day finishing at 4:30pm would lead to improvements in pupil attainment. They also said students can gain more time for fun and still receive an excellent education. Sacrifices Family Time. In the Article by Lisa Lewis, it also talks about how delaying school by 1 hour produces the same benefit as shrinking class size by one-third or replacing a teacher in the 50th percentile of effectiveness with one in the 84th percentile.(Lewis). An understandable concern for parents, teachers, and students about the 4-day school week is the extended time required to be at school during the day. Why did they switch to 4-day school weeks? Why weekends should be longer for students? Approximately 1,800 schools in the U.S. have extended learning hours, but there are many pros and cons of extended school days. For school districts struggling with funding issues, the potential savings here could save the budget. Theyre from moments we remember having fun, whether that was in the classroom, the playground, or the athletics field. 4-day school weeks add It lists the advantages of the four-day model as: Improved morale and fewer absences: A shorter working week leads to less burnout, making staff happier and more focused in . Cons of the 4-Day School Week. Custer School District, in rural South Dakota, believed they could save $70,000 with a 4-day school week. The Oakridge School District in Oregon reported that their test scores improved when they shifted to this alternative schedule as well. Well, for some rural schools across the nation, this has become a reality. From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors, 20 Major Pros and Cons of a 4 Day School Week, 21 Best SMART Goals Examples for Teachers and Educators, "From Disabled and $500k in Debt to a Pro Blogger with 5 Million Monthly Visitors. More time to focus on mental health In the typical K-12 schooling model, mental health education is too often shunted aside. Despite these difficulties, many disabled students go on to lead successful and fulfilling lives. Most school districts are sticking to the 5-day schedule. One issue that schools face today is what kind of school schedule there should be throughout the year. Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to help students who cannot fasten their own clothes? The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children between the ages of 12 and 18 require at least eight hours of sleep per night, and in some cases as much as nine hours. The pros and cons of a 4-day school week offer many challenges. The list just gets longer. The school day had to accommodate available daylight and the requirements of helping with the family farm. Additional learning time as well as improved schedule alignment would make the lives of families noticeably more pleasant. Students in a 4-day school week are packing 180 days into a condensed 145-day schedule. Cutting that by 20% means a savings of $4 billion, if implemented nationwide. A longer school day would involve substantial funding for teacher salaries and facility maintenance. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. School districts save money. Some educators believe that extending the school day until 5:00 p.m. is the answer. It is a program for mostly rural and small school districts. According to The Notebook, longer school days add to low energy and exhaustion. A switch to a 4-day schedule gives teachers more time to use teaching styles that are more effective. 18 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of the Payback Period, 20 Advantages and Disadvantages of Leasing a Car, 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Debt Financing, 24 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of a C Corporation, 16 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Mediation, 18 Advantages and Disadvantages of a Gated Community, 17 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Groups, 17 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Bonds, 19 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of Annuities, 17 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Advertising. Changing school start times will increase attendance and money brought in. This extra hour can make the day pretty long especially for younger students, which can often lead to a loss of focus later in the day. The average time for school that is scheduled in a 4-day week is either 7:30am-5pm or 8am-5:30pm. As a result, kids will be less worried about time management and will be less likely to fall behind on such rewarding activities. Year-Round Schedules Many people think of the school year as starting in August or at the beginning of September and continuing for 10 months. For some, a 4-day week makes perfect sense. In the United States, the average school day is around six and a half hours long. Con: Not all students need one-on-one assistance, and some may even experience boredom or burnout from the extended school day. In the United States, about 50% of all companies are either offering or thinking about offering a 4-day workweek for their workers. Most students, especially younger ones, find that the traditional school schedule is already too long. In-depth consultation between all constituents reveals the pros and cons of extended school days. The school day was originally created to meet the needs of farmers. You wont have to run the electricity or pay for buses. Dr. Kelly Meier earned her doctorate from Minnesota State Mankato in Educational Leadership. If so, keep reading. Students feel less pressure because they have more time to study at their own pace at home, especially in the later grades. 2023 The Black Well Firm. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. The Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative has already benefited 19 schools and over 10,000 students. Class runs Monday- Thursday with an added 40-60 minutes each day to compensate for the lost time by not having the schools run on Fridays. The idea of having a four-day school has been around for several decades, and has been considered at least since the 1930s, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Delaying school start times has been shown to have positive outcomes for students and families in overwhelming scientific research. Year-round schooling has been proposed as a better option for students than a traditional 9-month schedule. By having more instruction in class, students can not only get better test scores, but they can also get better grades. The benefits of going to a 4-day week for schooling is that it offers teachers and students an additional day for rest every week. How does it impact your success? Pros and cons of shorter work weeks. It can also be difficult to monitor, as students may be able to find ways to sneak in a recess break even when they are supposed to be punished. Here are some additional key points to think about when looking at the pros and cons of a 4-day school week. Teacher time will be increased when the school day is extended, allowing them to spend more time with pupils and to concentrate on problem areas and more challenging content. It also means that students face more daily seat time, in exchange for a 3-day weekend which may not materialize with their after-school commitments. 1. These 300 would have to find some alternative to school on Fridays if the Moniteau County R-1 School Districts schedule changed from a five day week to a four day week. Changing the system could result in many more. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. Second, it would allow students to get more sleep, which is important for their health and well-being. When the new school day was implemented, the system was relieved of the need to cram math, reading, and science into a short period of time, allowing for more time to be spent on subjects that students enjoy and teachers enjoy. However, these basics vary, depending on a company's policy. What they discovered was unexpected. Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. Pros And Cons Of Five Day School Week Though some people say that four days in a school week will help students in certain classes especially in math, this test only worked on 4th and 5th graders. Why should school weeks be shorter? Spread the loveAre you looking for ways to teach students to take care of their personal property? The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. Copyright (c) 2023 Matthew Lynch. 1. That means half of parents will enjoy the alternative school schedule and half will hate it. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. Some students and parents have been advocating for shorter school days, and there is some evidence to suggest that shorter days could be beneficial. These will be some pros of a four day school week. A change in schedule is an adjustment for school officials, students and families. There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on student's math and reading scores. When students are too tired or mentally exhausted to concentrate at the end of the day, the last hour becomes meaningless. It was Mann who founded the first public school in the United States and is widely regarded as the Father of the Public School System. What are some arguments for ending school at 8 hours? Next, parents would not have to get day care except on Fridays instead of the whole summer. Year round schools, can actually benefit students in the long run. Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. There are some drawbacks to shorter school days, as well. Students have more time outside of school to focus on other important aspects of their lives. List of the Advantages of 4-Day School Weeks 1. 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. Their students were more focused because they were more rested, which equated to fewer classroom disruptions. Our individualized learning setup at the Tenney School allows us to offer more instruction in a shorter amount of time. There are a variety of health issues that can be caused by a lack of sleep. According to a Center for American Progress study, traditional school schedules are out of sync with the current economic environment. What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks? Pro: An extended school day provides more time for students to learn and the possibility of providing individualized attention for students in need. Changing the times could increase attendance by 1%, which could bring in $40 million more. Such as emotional and behavioral problems, violence, depression, alcohol use, impaired cognitive function, etc. Their child is at home while they are at work, which is problematic for parents of younger children. Overall, there are pros and cons to shorter school days. The program not only saves districts money, but it also allows students to spend more time with their families. How do longer school days affect students? Harvest times were set in the old way and still are when most school calendars are set up, when the United States was a farm country. Spread the loveOne of the questions that I am frequently asked is, what does a good teacher look like? In Colorado, 31 of the states 176 school districts are currently using a 4-day school week. 1. Although families benefit from the 3-day weekend and those scheduling benefits, the non-traditional time off given to students can offset some of that savings. Younger people shouldn't have to work as long as some adults do. Many schools are adding thirty minutes to both the beginning and end of the school day. I am glad that you asked. Overall, a shorter school schedule resulted in a 7% increase in math scores and a 3% gain in reading. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. Small group learning with discussion, for example, increases the information retention rate for students up to 80%. First and foremost, an extended school day would provide students with extra learning time. Despite the fact that a few studies have recently been published, there is no significant research on the four-day school week. Accidents, absences, and absences all fall on the decline, and students academic performance rises. The four-day week did not appear to affect. 2. So it is illogical to think that a four day week will help other grade levels. 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). 4. Each community has unique needs which must be met, so there is the possibility of a 4-day week being useful to some districts, but not others. When I was a teacher, many moons ago, this was a fringe schooling schedule only practiced by rural school districts. Why shorter school days are better for teachers? Kids already spend a very long time each week in the school and away from their family. If something goes wrong . 3. The Alaska school year averaged about 180 days in length, and the school day was 6.48 hours long. Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. That is because larger districts offer more activities, manage more student events, and operate essentially 7 days per week during the school year anyway. One is that it would likely mean that teachers would have to teach more classes, which could lead to burnout. Thats two hours of lost time for farm chores, homework, or other responsibilities that rural families have more often than urban or suburban families. To see how shorter school days hurt both teachers and students, we need to look at a major structural change in education. This has been a hot topic especially the states that dont have as large of an economy. According to Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association, there is no guarantee that popularity will be replicated in other schools. Delaying school start times is associated with a decrease in bedtimes and an increase in sleep for every minute the school day is delayed. They found out that seven school districts saved money under the new It is critical to avoid producing a longer school day and instead produce a healthier, more balanced, and more engaging one. When properly implemented, extended learning time programs have the potential to increase students academic progress as well as their social and emotional development.