Schools around the country are joining in on the growing trend this year of switching to four-day weeks. Twenty-five states around the world are currently testing this school structure. Kansas is a part of more than 2%, but less than 20% of schools in the state that participated in switching to the permanent four-day week. (Mulvahill) There are many pros and cons to making the switch to a 4-day school week.

There are many things to think about when schools are making decisions. Some schools were obligated to make the switch due to a four-day week due to the lack of staff, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are many positive impacts on students and staff. For most schools, the most important reason is to attract and keep quality teachers. Cutting school back to four days can help schools with the overhead cost such as building operations, maintenance, transportation, and food services. (Lynch) It also will allow students to spend time with friends and family. This will help teachers have more time to prepare lessons, as they will not have students present one day each week. Giving students an extra day off will help improve attendance by allowing them to schedule appointments and trips over the weekend. These are some of the reasons switching to a four-day week would be positive for students and staff. 

Although there are many pros to switching to a four-day week, it comes with cons as well. Research has shown that a four-day week is misleading. Schools think that it will significantly help cut costs, but the building is still in operation and staff is required to be on site. Sports teams will also need to practice on these off days. This can also become difficult for lower-income families who will need to find childcare for their children. These families would have to find childcare for just one day a week which is difficult and costly. A four-day week sounds pretty good until you realize the need to have longer school days. Increasing the school day grows the concern in schools about kids zoning out. Ultimately, school priorities dictate whether to make the change to a 4-day week. Would a four-day workweek pose a benefit or a disadvantage for Southeast of Saline?

Works Cited

Lynch, Matthew. “What are the Pros and Cons of 4-Day School Weeks?” The Edvocate, 17 October 2019, https://www.theedadvocate.org/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-4-day-school-weeks/. Accessed 13 December 2022.

Mulvahill, Elizabeth. “4-Day School Weeks Are on the Rise – What Are the Pros and Cons?” WeAreTeachers, 19 June 2019, https://www.weareteachers.com/4-day-school-weeks/. Accessed 13 December 2022.