Why is a 4-day school week better than 5?

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 should school be 4 days instead of 5 days?

A shorter week makes it easier to staff schools, a particularly challenging task for rural schools, due to their geographic isolation and lower salaries. Proponents of the four-day week also say a shorter workweek could get teachers to reconsider leaving their job, or bring retirees back into the classroom.

Why is a 4 day school week better for mental health?

Parents repeatedly emphasize its effect on childrens' mental health and overall well-being. Many Life School students and parents report reduced feelings of stress and burnout. A shorter school week means fewer days of intense academics, allowing everyone to recharge over the long weekend.

How effective are 4 day school weeks?

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 are shorter school weeks beneficial?

Shorter school weeks may improve teacher and student morale, reduce burnout, and provide more flexibility for extracurricular activities. Longer days, on the other hand, could allow for more in-depth instruction, additional enrichment activities, and better utilization of resources.

What this school district learned from a 4-day week

Does a 4 day school week reduce stress?

This leads to another benefit for districts; they can attract and keep skilled candidates on staff. Rand.org found a 4-day week had other positive effects on: Reduced parental stress. Improved student mental health.

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

How do 4 day school weeks affect 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.

How does a 4 day school week affect parents?

Unfortunately, for a lot of parents, a four-day school week translates into an additional childcare cost. Pallas notes some districts that have adopted the four-day schedule offer subsidized care for kids at the school on that fifth day, but even subsidized care means parents are paying for something.

What states are moving to a 4 day school week?

Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado have had four-day schools for a long time. They are a more recent addition in places like Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Missouri. The states are gatekeepers in a way, mandating a minimum number of instructional days or hours.

Does a 4 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.

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.

How does a 4 day work week help mental health?

A four-day work week improves employees' health in numerous ways, from reducing anxiety and stress to enabling better sleep and more time for exercise, according to a large new report.

Was school always 5 days a week?

The concept of having classes five days per week and weekends off did not generally exist before the 20th century.

Is Florida getting 4 day school week?

The extended weekends -- Oct. 12-15, 2024, Feb. 14-17, 2025, and April 18-21, 2005 -- will be added to the school calendar in addition to the weeklong Thanksgiving holiday, the two week Christmas break in December and a one-week pause in March for spring break.

What countries have 4 day school weeks?

The new policy in Poland is part of an expanding interest in the four-day school week, with similar experiments in the United States, Australia, and France, with some instituting one full day of “non-traditional” learning, or simply an extra day off, as a means of reducing student stress and increasing engagement in ...

How does a 4 day school week affect grades?

They found no significant differences in academic achievement between districts that used five-day schedules and those that used four-day schedules, as long as the districts with shorter weeks maintained a high or medium amount of instructional time for students.

What are the cons of a 5 day school week?

Do shorter school days help students?

Lower Stress Levels: Lengthy school days often contribute to stress and burnout among students due to the continuous pressure of studies. Reducing school hours can help alleviate this stress, leading to a healthier and more balanced lifestyle for students.

Why students should have Wednesday off?

Most students can agree that their schedule is pretty packed during the week and having this day off helps them manage their time. Creating a schedule for Wednesday helps students develop time management skills that will be necessary for their futures.

Does California have 4 day school weeks?

There is only one other school district in California the state has allowed to have a four-day school schedule. That's Leggett Valley Unified oi the Eel River in Mendocino County. Compared to Big Sur Unified, it's a big district with four schools and 75 students.

Do longer school days affect mental health?

This can lead to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. In conclusion, long school hours are not beneficial for students and should be avoided. They can lead to a variety of negative consequences both academically and mentally.

Why we should not have a 4 day week?

Fewer Hours Means Less Time to Get Things Done

With fewer hours in the week, there may be limited time to accomplish all necessary tasks. This makes the 4-day workweek impractical for certain industries, including: Healthcare and emergency services that require 24/7 coverage.

Should we abolish homework?

Some educational experts suggest that there should be hours of homework in high school, some homework in middle school, and none in elementary school. Some call for the 10-minute rule. Others say that homework doesn't work at all. It's still fairly unstudied how achievement is impacted as a result of homework.

What are the disadvantages of going to day school?