Considering how much ground U.S. students lost during the pandemic, it would seem self-evident that they should be spending more time in the classroom to catch up. Yet a growing number of school districts across the country are doing the opposite, by moving to a four-day school week. Advocates claim the change can help schools save money and attract and retain teachers. It’s also bound to leave students even further behind.
The vast majority of students are still required to attend school Monday through Friday, but four-day weeks are gaining in popularity. As of last year, at least 1,600 public schools in 25 states had adopted four-day weeks, a sixfold increase since 1999. Prior to the pandemic, the practice was largely limited to rural areas — more than half of Idaho’s school districts use four-day weeks — but has since spread to cities and suburbs, as schools have expanded remote learning and experimented with hybrid schedules. In Texas, more than 60 districts allow four-day weeks, including in suburbs outside Dallas and Houston.
Administrators in favor of the change cite several potential benefits. It could conceivably help districts save on transportation, food service and maintenance costs, thereby leaving more money for academics. It could also give students an added day to work, pursue internships or participate in nonschool extracurricular activities. At a time when districts across the U.S. report teacher shortages, a four-day week is seen as a way to make teaching more competitive with jobs that offer flexible work schedules.
