The school districts in New Mexico are one of the best examples of this benefit. Here are a few: 1. Pros of the 4-day School Week. One is that students might not have enough time to receive all the instruction they need in a particular subject. As with any innovation, shorter workweeks have advantages and disadvantages. Some school districts have reported saving The four-day arrangement gives opportunity for students to work an extra day at an after-school job, participate in volunteer activities, or pursue further educational goals by taking advantage of the extra day. The districts which offer the 4-day work week receive more applications and more qualified applicants than the other school districts. There is a variety of emotional and behavioral problems, depression, alcohol use, and impaired cognitive function that can contribute to this. Teacher time will be increased when the school day is extended, allowing them to spend more time with pupils and to concentrate on problem areas and more challenging content. 6 Ways to Implement a Real Multicultural Education in the Classroom, Understanding Letter Recognition and Its Role in Preliteracy, The Advantages and Limitations of Homeschooling, 7 Ways Technology Is Impacting Modern Education, How Dumbed Down Education Is Creating a National Security Crisis, 21 Inspirational Quotes That Nelson Mandela Made About Education, The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 7: How Digital Age Teachers Can Win Over Parents, The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 6: 8 Ways That Digital Age Teachers Avoid Burning Out, The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 5: The Archetype of a Great Teacher, PISA (The Program for International Student Assessment): Everything You Need to Know, How International Baccalaureate (IB) Programs Work, Globalization: Everything You Need to Know, So You Want to Attend Graduate School: The 411 on Grad School Admissions Tests, 20 Ways to Teach Kids to Take Care of Their Personal Property, 13 Ways to Teach Students Appropriate Mealtime Manners, 20 Strategies to Encourage Students to Take Care of their Personal Property, 14 Strategies to Teach Students Appropriate Mealtime Manners, 22 Strategies to Help Students Who Cannot Fasten Their Own Clothes, Homogeneous Grouping: What You Need to Know, Merit Scholarships: Everything Your Need to Know, The Importance of Mentoring Young African-American Males, 7 Ways That Black Students are Discriminated Against in U.S K-12 Schools, The Edvocate Podcast, Episode 4: How to Create a Culturally Responsive Classroom, 6 Steps to Data-Driven Literacy Instruction, Four Keys to a Modern IT Approach in K-12 Schools. . Too Early to Tell Year-round schooling has been proposed as a better option for students than a traditional 9-month schedule. That additional day can also be used for staff development time instead of taking away a school day to do so. Custer School District, in rural South Dakota, believed they could save $70,000 with a 4-day school week. Despite the fact that a few studies have recently been published, there is no significant research on the four-day school week. Increases student attendance. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, making the additional class time inefficient. The. Small group learning with discussion, for example, increases the information retention rate for students up to 80%. Shorter school weeks or longer school days are reasonable solutions when there is a shortage of funding, or possible budget cuts coming to the school district. Even the cost savings of a total shift to a 4-day schedule may be minimal. 2. They need a shorter school day so they can have more time to relax and play. They just dont have time to get everything done. Most students in the four-day districts80 percent of high school students and 90 percent of elementary studentsspent their "off day" at home. Well, at least initially. Rural families experience the greatest impacts from the 4-day school week. Games occur in the evening, often on the weekend. The evaluated skills include science, math, and reading. There is no one answer to this question as it can depend on individual circumstances. Our individualized learning setup at the Tenney School allows us to offer more instruction in a shorter amount of time. There are several advantages and disadvantages of 4-day school weeks to examine based on the results that districts are reporting from their efforts to implement this schedule. We can all agree that school feels like it lasts forever. Do 4-day school weeks positively affect student outcomes? School districts save money. Practices for sports are still held on the fifth day, as are teacher conferences, staff development opportunities, and required janitorial work. It starts too early, ends too late, and occurs far too often. Accidents, absences, and absences all fall on the decline, and students academic performance rises. Finalists and Winners of The 2022 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2021 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2020 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2019 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2018 Tech Edvocate Awards, Finalists and Winners of The 2017 Tech Edvocate Awards, 21 Ways to Teach Students to Use Learning Materials Appropriately, Classical Idealism: Everything You Need to Know, Good Research Topics about Womens Movement, Most Interesting Wine Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting Walmart Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting W.E.B. Some districts have seen their disciplinary issues decline by more than 70% in the first two years of implementing a 4-day schedule. The Oakridge School District in Oregon reported that their test scores improved when they shifted to this alternative schedule as well. How does it impact your success? More rest then equates to dealing with less stress over the course of a school year. Easier to recruit employees. They do have a full day free for a job in some instances, but trying to find work on the weekends only, especially in a rural community, is never a guarantee unless you dont mind working on a farm, that is. Data from the National Association of Year-Round Education . For school districts struggling with funding issues, the potential savings here could save the budget. Advantage: More time for other subjects. 18 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of the Payback Period, 20 Advantages and Disadvantages of Leasing a Car, 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Debt Financing, 24 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of a C Corporation, 16 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Mediation, 18 Advantages and Disadvantages of a Gated Community, 17 Big Advantages and Disadvantages of Focus Groups, 17 Key Advantages and Disadvantages of Corporate Bonds, 19 Major Advantages and Disadvantages of Annuities, 17 Biggest Advantages and Disadvantages of Advertising. That means one of the biggest expenses for the district is immediately cut by 20%. If you ask the average kid what they think about school, youll get a very honest answer: Its boring. From K-12, it can be difficult for students to stay engaged in the classroom during a 5-day school week. This is one of the strongest arguments in favour of a longer school day. Many of these schools are already operating on an alternative schedule because that is what works best for their community. Working a couple of hours after school gains experience and disposable income. Cutting that by 20% means a savings of $4 billion, if implemented nationwide. In comparison to 2007, the number of public schools that offer year-round programs has increased by 26%. With short school days, students can devote a fair share of time to other meaningful areas in their life, such as socializing and simply being a kid. They question the value of a continuous . Granby School District in Colorado shifted to a 4-day schedule for their 1,100 students. Anecdotal evidence also suggests that attendance improves; parents and teachers can schedule doctor's appointments and other weekday commitments for Fridays rather than during school days. Not only would this give everyone a 3-day weekend to enjoy, it would also limit the pressure on students and teachers to have a diversified learning experience in a compressed time period. In 2009, there were 3,000 schools in the United States operating on a year-round basis. It is also possible for schools to extend the school day in more districts across the country. According to a Center for American Progress study, traditional school schedules are out of sync with the current economic environment. Spread the loveTeachers need to realize that at home, in their neighborhoods, and in school, many students face difficulties that can interfere with learning. It can also be difficult to monitor, as students may be able to find ways to sneak in a recess break even when they are supposed to be punished. Decreased need to re-teach skills after long vacations, allowing teachers to use classroom time more efficiently. For non year-round schools the dropout rate is 5%, which is more than all year-round schools. Advantages Of Five Day School Week Traditional Five Day Class Week Should be Resumed Samantha, a freshman college student taking up Bachelor of Science in Nursing, values her education so much. These crimes occurred all during the week, 1. Ages. The article Should School Stay Earlier? Year-round education (YRE) is being considered or adopted by some districts. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of Americas P-20 system. schedule, the district adds 40 or so minutes to make up for the time lost on Some educators believe that extending the school day until 5:00 p.m. is the answer. Students are tired and cranky by the end of the day. Anticipated savings are in transportation, food and food service workers, hourly workers and utilities. Spread the loveAre you looking for ways to teach students to take care of their personal property? I am glad that you asked. It changes the holiday schedules for the school district. So much so, many new teachers end up leaving the field within their first three years. An eight-hour day is pretty undesirable for elementary-aged kids. The major pros and cons of a 4-day school week suggest that it can save money for districts, which means taxpayers benefit. The most popular is a 32-hour work week, which means people work 8 hours per day, 4 hours in a week. The school days are spread more evenly over the year, with more frequent short breaks and the absence of a 10-12 week summer break. the fifth day, but they forget, they will still be open and running activities According to new research, the four-day week is a popular way for parents and students to spend quality time together. This would help not only our school but also the parents if they cant afford the gas. If she is not receptive to your suggestions, you may want to get a doctors note stating that recess is required. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. While small gains were made in reading, math and writing, there were no statistically significant results for children in the areas of receptive language, social skills or vocabulary. The Pros and Cons of Year-Round Schools. In 1095or in 1905, depending on your sourcesRoberto Nevelis of Venice, Italy, is often credited with inventing the concept of homework. The Edvocate was created in 2014 to argue for shifts in education policy and organization in order to enhance the quality of education and the opportunities for learning afforded to P-20 students in America. Schools may even have to purchase lights for after school activities. Pros And Cons Of Five Day School Week Though some people say that four days in a school week will help students in certain classes especially in math, this test only worked on 4th and 5th graders. Because the four-day school week has only been around for a decade or so, we simply dont have enough time, data, or research to make a definitive declaration. Your email address will not be published. What are the advantages and disadvantages of including issues such as child care? There are improvements in the school financially. Traditional vs. Also, there have been studies that found that special populations do not thrive under this configuration. Students attending a 4-day school schedule may have requirements for their education that fall outside of the normal work schedule for their parents.