The program not only saves districts money, but it also allows students to spend more time with their families. According to the vast majority of states, spanking your child is against the law. The Oakridge School District in Oregon reported that their test scores improved when they shifted to this alternative schedule as well. Every community has their own unique requirements that must be addressed by school scheduling. That is a lot of time taken away, but if the school days were shortened, you would have a lot more time to do your activities. It requires longer school days. 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. In 2022, companies in the U.K., the U.S., and Canada instituted a four-day workweek pilot program to test the concept. The evaluated skills include science, math, and reading. Pros and Cons of a Longer School Day | GoStudent | GoStudent 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of 4 Day School Weeks In general, ELT has received positive feedback; however, some schools have had more difficult transitions than others. Pros & Cons of Longer School Lunches | livestrong (Lewis) In Bonneville, Idaho the school started later in the day which resulted in absences dropping 15%. The school districts may operate classes Monday-Thursday on a 4-day week (or Tuesday-Friday in some instances), but they are still operational from an administrative standpoint on the off-day. Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. The Edvocate plans to be one of key architects of this revival, as it continues to advocate for education reform, equity, and innovation. At my school, class went from 8:15 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. about an hour or two longer than a typical five-day-week school's day. 4 Day School Week Pros and Cons. Staying at school for the majority of the day isn't allowing me . Con: A lengthened school day may impede upon extracurricular activities, especially in secondary education. There should be year round schooling because it can help students learn more and forget less, other classes are included and childcare is provided, teachers get more time to plan and teach lessons. Weekend sporting events make it easier to get students to them, especially when they are an away event, because the school day doesnt interfere on a Friday. Year-Round Schedules Many people think of the school year as starting in August or at the beginning of September and continuing for 10 months. Another potential drawback is that shorter school days could lead to more after-school activities, which could be a problem for working parents. remediating them begin to take a bite out of the budget. Additional learning time as well as improved schedule alignment would make the lives of families noticeably more pleasant. Pros and cons of a four day working week. About 20% of the states school districts incorporate a 4-day schedule of some kind. There can be no one answer to this question because it is a matter of case by case. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. In 1995, 84 school districts were studied that had already implemented a 4-day school week. by elenam112 states This means the school would be open longer, resulting in larger electrical and heating bills. Schools would need to stay open later at night for after school activities and stay open early in the morning for students who are dropped off early. Even the cost savings of a total shift to a 4-day schedule may be minimal. 2. Next, parents would not have to get day care except on Fridays instead of the whole summer. (Question). 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. For some, a 4-day week makes perfect sense. Most students in the four-day districts80 percent of high school students and 90 percent of elementary studentsspent their "off day" at home. Teachers are attracted by the prospect of having a shorter work week. Du Bois Essay Topics to Write about, Most Interesting Volvo Essay Topics to Write about, is a phenomenon that has been sweeping across the U.S. There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on students math and reading scores. In many cases, it is in the best interests of students to reduce costs and have minimal impact on instruction. Over the next three years, the school district was able to save 2% on their overall costs each year, for a total of $200,000. The benefits of going to a 4-day week for schooling is that it offers teachers and students an additional day for rest every week. Delaying school start times has been shown to have positive outcomes for students and families in overwhelming scientific research. A potential decline in academic performance for vulnerable groups. When Friday rolls around each week during the school year, many parents face the same situation. After analyzing Colorado schools operating on four-day school weeks, (Dam) reports that transportation costs can be reduced by 20%. This extra hour can make the day pretty long especially for younger students, which can often lead to a loss of focus later in the day. As a result, students dont have to miss school to help out. The Pros and Cons of a 4 Day Working Week - Change Recruitment Oklahoma Department of Education examined the economic effect of going to a By shifting to a 4-day schedule, it becomes easier to transport students to all after-school events and activities because there is an extra day available to plan activities without running into mandatory school times. When busing and after-school activities are included in that timeframe as well, some older students may find themselves putting in 12-hour days at school every day. Students usually go to school about 6 hours each day in most districts. Some of the pros of year-round schooling include: 1 . Colorado, juvenile crime increased by 73% whenever a school changed their 2. These school districts are typically in isolated regions, are rural, and have a student body that is fewer than 500 students. When teachers are more effective and efficient, student performance follows a similar pattern. 4-day school weeks add Some are facing the debate about whether to keep standardized tests or not. Here are a few: 1. 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. The idea of having a four-day school has been around for several decades, and has been considered at least since the 1930s, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Copyright (c) 2023 Matthew Lynch. This is a big con for me, as sacrificing the futures of our most vulnerable students is not worth the trivial benefits of 4-day school weeks. You are more likely to face poverty: those who drop out of school without any plans, stare at poverty in the face without the option of getting out of it. According to Adam Urbanski, president of the Rochester Teachers Association, there is no guarantee that popularity will be replicated in other schools. Pros and Cons of the Four-Day Week Proponents of four-day school weeks say that even though cost savings are minimal, they are achieved. Instead, an investment should be made in improving teaching strategies and new technology that could transform the learning process. All rights reserved. Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. Pro: An extended school day provides more time for students to learn and the possibility of providing individualized attention for students in need. At the same time, teacher attendance rates also rose, which is a trend still seen in these districts, 20+ years later. The requirements for total education time do not change just because a school district goes to a 4-day school week. Saving on utilities school buses, and long term building wear and tear. To be competitive in a global market, students need to be exposed to a wide variety of subject matter. Students in the third through sixth grades have improved their ACT scores, according to studies. Student performance may improve with a 4-day school week. One of the primary motivations for adopting the four-day week is financial savings for the school district. Longer school days would provide students with more time to focus on core subjects or classes where they need more instruction, which would be a huge benefit. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, students are less active when they are not allowed to recess during the school day due to bad classroom behavior. They argue that playing with classmates helps children develop social skills. List of the Advantages of 4-Day School Weeks 1. However, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with shortening the school day that should be considered before sweeping action is taken to alter the traditional school day. Many of these districts are small and rural, such as Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming. The Pros and Cons to Longer School Days - Walden University Certain activities or games should be prohibited (for an indefinite period of time). That is because larger districts offer more activities, manage more student events, and operate essentially 7 days per week during the school year anyway. Many companies have found that when workers are able to work a schedule which suits their needs, letting them work how they like, then their workers are more productive. There are a few reasons why shorter school days could be beneficial. In the Article by Lisa Lewis, it also talks about how delaying school by 1 hour produces the same benefit as shrinking class size by one-third or replacing a teacher in the 50th percentile of effectiveness with one in the 84th percentile.(Lewis). When students are too tired or mentally exhausted to concentrate at the end of the day, the last hour becomes meaningless. Sacrifices Family Time. There are numerous advantages and disadvantages to each. Many recommend that teens get at least eight hours of sleep to feel well rested and . 10 Noteworthy Benefits of a Shorter School Day - Tenney School She is the author and co-author of 12 books and serves as a consultant in K-12 and higher education. 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. A longer school day would involve substantial funding for teacher salaries and facility maintenance. The Pros and Cons to Longer School Days The University of New Mexico Newsroom: Research Study Yields Unexpected Conclusion About Longer School Years. Another is that shorter days could lead to shorter attention spans in classrooms. Over the last century, humans have acquired a staggering amount of knowledge and understanding. Spread the loveThe International Baccalaureate Program is a very intensive pre-college program in which when students get involved, they get college credit. Teachers have more time to prepare lessons and collaborate during the day. configuration, but nine districts were actually spending more. One of the primary reasons why school districts, especially rural districts, save money when they shift to a 4-day schedule is because there are fewer transportation costs. Finally, some parents worry that shorter days could mean that their children would have less time to participate in extracurricular activities. There are improvements in the school financially. 12 Pros and Cons of a 4 Day School Week (2023) The Pros And Cons Of Shortening School Days - 676 Words | Bartleby Con: A lengthened school day may impede upon extracurricular activities, especially in secondary education. 2. Shorter Classes: Depending on your school's summer schedule, you can complete a semester's worth of work in eight, five, or even three weeks. manageable in a myriad of ways. Should We Have Shorter School Days? - The BlackWell Firm It provides a realistic way for schools to remain open and also has added benefits beyond saving money. It was Mann who founded the first public school in the United States and is widely regarded as the Father of the Public School System. What are some arguments for ending school at 8 hours? That means the average cost, per student, is about $700. If schools only had one day off per week, millions of dollars would be saved. disabled students may also find it difficult to participate in extracurricular activities and socialise with their peers. Students who attend year-round school have the same number of school days as their counterparts following a traditional schedule. Also, since special populations fare poorly in this configuration, the costs of Sometimes even starting school earlier in the . 4. Some educators believe that extending the school day until 5:00 p.m. is the answer. Long school days, on the other hand, can present some challenges and, at the very least, unsatisfactory outcomes. Four day working week: What are the pros and cons? - World Economic Forum In some situations, a single teacher may be responsible for over 100 students. The Pros and Cons of Longer vs. Shorter Trips. Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to encourage students to take care of their personal property? Four-Day School Week Overview - National Conference of State Legislatures Those that had implemented the alternative scheduling found that student attendance could rise by more than 20. districts think they will save tons of money by cutting operational costs on Employment opportunities with a 3-day weekend are increasing. Longer school days may have some positive impact on student achievement, but research on their effects is lacking. not just on the weekdays when students were out of school. If a longer lunch allows high school students to leave campus, they might opt for unhealthy fast-food options; on the other hand, this extended time might allow them to seek out healthier dishes than those available in the cafeteria. Programs like student tutoring or sports, teacher/parent meetings, staff development, and building maintenance still happen on the fifth day, which negates many of the cost-savings opportunities that the 4-day schedule appears to offer. It is critical to maintain a consistent schedule and not change it on a weekly basis in order to give students the best chance of success. Spread the loveTo be twice-exceptional is to be exceptionally gifted in some academic aspects while being below average compared to peers in other aspects. Along with giving kids more time to concentrate on critical activities, a shortened school day would also provide pupils with more opportunity to relax. List of Cons of Implementing 4-Day School Weeks 1. Financial problems is was most of a four day school week is about. Students are still getting the same amount of instruction in terms of minutes, just in a shorter number of days. Most students, especially younger ones, find that the traditional school schedule is already too long. It starts too early, ends too late, and occurs far too often. In many US school districts, the first class begins 1-2 hours after most parents need to be at work. Students in a 4-day school week are packing 180 days into a condensed 145-day schedule. That means half of parents will enjoy the alternative school schedule and half will hate it. Accidents, absences, and absences all fall on the decline, and students academic performance rises. What are the pros and cons of longer school days? . The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning.