Four Day School Week Research Paper

If Colby High School students learned that their school was changing to a four day school week they would be thrilled. Once a student was so happy started to cry. Others immediately tweeted out ( CHS Now has 4-day School weeks #steppinupintheworld ) . Students were happy to join surrounding schools in the four day school week. Several schools in the area such as Colby Community College, Brewster, Burlington, and Wynonna have four day school weeks. Colby High School should begin a four day school week because it benefits the Students because they have better test scores and have more time to do school work, the school saves money, and teachers are more prepared.

Financial problems have arose in many schools. Many schools believe that “One day less means one day less of heating the school, fueling buses, feeding students and paying certain staff members” (Anderson). Little things like that can save schools a lot more money. More money means more equipment for learning and new schools objects. “An informational poll on edutopia.com indicates that 67% of over 2700 polled favor this as a solution to school districts financial hardship” (Hadfield). A lot of people want the four day week to be a “thing” so that financial problems can no longer be a problem. Teachers and schools would say “Their budgets has been stretched tighter than a drum and has finally reached a breaking point that cannot be ignored” (Occupy Theory). A sign that teacher and student are getting a bit tired of the stress being put on them because of financial problem. There are more benefits along with the resolution of financial problems and it is academics.

Also, there would be an improvement of attendance. Some district representatives that have implemented four-day school weeks report that attendance has improved for teachers and students. The Melstone School District in Melstone, Mont., has reported statistics indicating that their attendance improved as much as 20% over a two-year period after moving to a four-day school week. Chattooga County School District also reported an improvement in attendance since implementing its four-day school week.

To the counter-argument, Ballenger & Kneese say it best: “Of what value is there to a community of having most of its classrooms unused for fully 25% of the possible school days each year, when America 's students need more, rather than less, education?” As it stands, concerns concerning loss of learning over the extended summer break remain prevalent. Changing to a year-long school schedule would close that learning gap, allowing students higher retention. However, as Gabrieli states in Koonce (2015), even schools that add “25 percent more time each year – or the equivalent of three extra years of school for students” (p. 236) can achieve this increase merely by extending the school day with no adjustment in summer breaks. Expanded hours and days “can ensure at risk students keep up academically; develop attachment to school through such activities as sports, arts, and drama; and develop the beliefs and behaviors consistent with success” (p.236). The proponents of expanded learning time (ELT) may attest that “the greatest opportunity that expanded learning time offers for improving academic achievement comes from being able to better individualize instruction—putting the right teachers with the right students and focusing on the right skills” (Koonce, 2015). ELT allows students to learn that “through hard work, they can excel through the odds, but that [success] requires time” (Koonce, 2015). Supporters of expanded learning time argue that there is a sizeable benefit from

Studies show that the amount of discipline referrals issued go down. The Chattooga county school district saw a 73% drop in discipline referrals(Vittana). This is because the students had an extra day off and don’t have to focus for five straight days on school. In addition to being more rested from the extra day off. Students that are more focused and rested learn better. So it increases the value of class time where a 5 day school week by Friday students can be unfocused and not rested. That leads to unhappy students who aren’t learning and probably gonna distract other students to keep them from learning. So

The overall logistics run much smoother in schools that have four day weeks compared to the five day week. “Some districts had experienced a decline in dropout rates, decreased disciplinary referrals, improved attendance, fewer class interruptions, more positive attitudes about school, and better staff development” (Yarbrough and Gilman 81). Another logistical benefit to having four day school week is that students have more time to get involved in extracurricular activities due to more availability

Four Day School Act is beneficial for students attending middle school through twelfth grade along with school faculty. This program is important for students who lose focus and began being disengaged in classes towards the weekend giving them enough time to recuperate an extra day. The other option is to cut Monday as well since it is the beginning of the week where students to also be less engaged. The possible outcome effect is less absences, higher test scores, and less yelling from teachers to stay on task. While students are out on Thursday, that leaves Friday for school faculty to prepare for the following week. Teachers can accomplish various things even schedule meetings on a Monday or a Friday.

This paper includes a reference list of literature relating to the pros and cons of changing a five day school week to a four day school week. In general, the literature seems to indicate that most of the reasoning behind this change is to lower energy and fuel costs as well as cut budgets to an affordable rate. Academic progress is evaluated in some cases and discussion of what decisions have been made in the use of the fifth unscheduled day have been researched. Some suggest to use the “off” day for professional development as well as an opportunity to offer additional student extracurricular activities. The difficulty of finding childcare for the unscheduled school day seemed to be an issue that was more prevalent in suburban school districts rather than rural districts. Each individual school district had to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the shortened week and decide what worked best for their students, teachers, community.

According to a report from the New York City district, a school that received funds for longer days fared better on standardized tests. This school had seven percent more students scoring at or above grade level in reading, when two other schools had increases of five and six percent. In math, three percent of students scored at or above grade level in a school with a longer day, compared with one percent for a low performing school and an average of one percent for other schools (Brett 1). This information is one example of many studies that illustrate that long school days have a great positive impact on school performance. The main school goals are improving students’ knowledge and building different skills that will help them in the future. Therefore, if longer school days support these educational goals, people should be concerned about improving schools by lengthening the day.

“States’ new budgets are providing less per-pupil funding for kindergarten through 12th grade than they did six years ago often far less. The reduced levels reflect not only the lingering effects of the 2007-09 recession but also continued austerity in many states, despite some improvements in overall state revenues, schools in around a third of the states are entering the new school year with less state funding than they had last year” (Leachman and Mai). In the United States, school funding has been significantly decreased, because of the limit of funding school districts are looking for solutions. One of the most talked about solutions is a four day school week.

Did you know that over 40 schools have changed to a four day school week? (2) Switching to a four day school week can save millions of dollars. (4) Most schools nationwide that have transferred to a shorter week are seeing vigorous effects. (3) A four day school week provides benefits for everyone. (2) There are many improvements shown in academics and attendance. (3)

There is also concern regarding how this extended time will effect students and educators. Students could be subjected to twelve hour days, when considering travel and after school activities (Anderson, M., 2014). Many parents are concerns their child will not have enough time to play, or spend with their family because of the demands of the longer hours. Children are already exhausted by current schedules and many parents and apposing individuals fear “burning out” students (Anderson, M,. 2014). New Jersey parents are also worried about their children being in over heated classrooms and missing out on summer fun. (McGlone, P., 2014). Some parents even stating that two moths off for the summer

Not only schools have taken a look at their system, but the United States has begun thinking about solutions to make the school week more efficient. Every human being deserves to have the best education possible, and as a country we will always look into the best way to provide a top notch learning experience for our students. With that being said, the four day school week has been on the rise recently because they're a lot of beneficial factors such as, it would allow financial gain, it can improve learning, students and teachers would be much more happier, and will teach time management which will give us an idea about what life is in the real world. In most cases, Mondays or Fridays are the days schools are cutting out of the week, Some

Recent studies show that learning capabilities of students who are enrolled in 4-day-week schools seemed to improve, which means that they seem to be focusing more on their studies and increasing their knowledge (“10 Main Pros and Cons of 4 Day School Weeks” Np). Having one day less to go to school, students would not lose motivation by having as many days at school. Less days at school, would mean less homework and more study time, resulting in better test grades. This would also mean even more free time, to spend with family added on, to the extra day to do so. A four day week would even improve attendance by having less days to be at school kids would have less days to not be there.

“ Approximately 120 districts in 21 states around the country, most of which are small, rural communities in the western states, that have cut Friday (or Monday) from the school schedule.” Both parents and teachers are concerned that as the years go on with this four day schedule the students will begin to drop in their testing and academic performances. “Parents are scrambling to find child care for the extra day, in the Minnesota school district.” Four day school weeks may work for some schools but many should stick with the five days.