Liberty Thought of the Week – Benefits of a 4-Day School Week

by Paul Hamby

 

Are students better off with a 4 day school week than 5 days? Results so far indicate mostly yes with a few concerns.

About one fourth of Missouri school districts have now made the transition to a 4 day week. The trend started in small rural schools. Lathrop Missouri, a small town in NW Missouri was first in our state to switch in 2010.

Andrew Palmer taught Middle School English at Lathrop that first year of 2010 and continued through 2015. He came to Lathrop from one of the largest school districts in the state; “From an educator’s perspective, the thing I loved the most about having students only four days of the week, was I finally had a fifth day to work on grading papers and improving instruction. When you teach middle school and high school, there are always numerous papers to grade. With a standard five day week, all that additional work that happens after the students leave the classroom usually happens in the evenings, late at night, or even on a weekend day. It makes for less stressed, and more productive teachers.”

The Independence School Board voted in December 2022 to move to a four-day week beginning Fall 2023. Independence will be the largest Missouri school district, with 14000 students, on the 4 day plan.

“In Missouri, there’s over 140 districts that have done this and only one has gone back,” said Independence Superintendent Dr Dale Herl. “You look in Colorado, nearly 70% of school districts have gone to four-day weeks.” (KCTV)

It has helped us retain our staff,” said Superintendent Dr. Gregg Klinginsmith of Warren County Missouri. “We’ve had good feedback from staff and academics have stayed pretty consistent.” (KCTV)

Less is More. One of the benefits for students is the time per class is a little longer. They can cover more depth on a subject.

Cindy O’Laughlin, Missouri Senate Majority Floor Leader, was the chair of the senate education committee from 2020 to 2022. She visited more than 30 schools during that time and sees a bigger problem; “The public school system is so overwhelmed with requirements from both the feds and the state Department of Elementary and Secondary education that teachers are fed up and leaving in droves. I will always believe good teachers have a heart for their work and bureaucrats have managed to destroy their initiative and joy in teaching. It’s not the salary causing people to leave teaching; it’s the culture of the classroom.”

One of the unexpected benefits of a 4 day school week for students is the opportunity to spend more time with extended family. The 5th day can be a rotating day with grandparents, a parent, with day trips to Missouri’s many parks, museums and events. Families can plan 3 day weekend events. Our job as parents and grandparents is to teach our children life skills. This extra day would be a good time to do just that.

Alec Alvarez, a third grader at a suburban Denver elementary school, said he felt the new day was “kind of long” but that it was “worth it” so he could spend his Mondays at his grandmother’s house “playing outside.” (NBC)

For high school students exploring career opportunities, the unplanned 5th day is an opportunity to job shadow or intern to try out jobs they have an interest in.

One downside is that a single parent with no close family or support system struggles with finding and affording childcare for the extra day each week.

In today’s hectic world, finding balance is important. 4 days at school and 3 days of family time is a better balanced life for our children.