Transitioning to a 4-day School Week

Abstract

The four-day school week is gaining traction nationally, with over 1600 schools implementing it. Proponents cite benefits for both educators including reduced stress, improved well-being and at the district level with potential cost savings. My work investigates the potential benefits of a 4-day school week in Connecticut school districts, particularly focusing on teacher and family satisfaction. By understanding how shortened week can address these aspects, I aim to inform the conversation on how Connecticut schools can optimize their schedule to create a more supportive and thriving learning environment for all.

Key words: shortened, schedule, transition, satisfaction.

Introduction

The roots of shortening the typical 5-day school week can be traced back to the 1930s, when the first pilot program was launched in South Dakota. This early experiment paved the way for further exploration, and in 1973, the Cimarron School District in New Mexico became another early adopter of the 4-day school week format. Currently, there are over 1600 schools across 24 states that have successfully transitioned to a 4-day school week schedule. While cost savings were a primary motivator for many of these transitions, the results haven't been purely financial. Schools adopting the four-day format have also reported positive academic outcomes for students and a decrease in teacher burnout, leading to lower attrition rates. The impact of the 4-day school week is growing, despite a limited number of schools having fully transitioned. This presents a valuable opportunity for new states and districts (specifically Connecticut) to consider this innovative approach keeping the best interests of their students, teachers, and overall school community at the forefront of their decision-making.

Findings

• The most common reason cited as a main rationale for adoption (65.1% of districts from a survey of 342 districts in the United States who have transitioned to a 4-day week) was financial savings.
• Districts that moved to a four-day week have experienced actual savings between 0.4% and 2.5%.
• Savings achieved with a four-day school week vary greatly by districts, depending on the fidelity with which they adhere to cost saving measures.
• Increase in student attendance when following the shorter school week schedule which has directly been associated with better performance on standardized tests.
  • Lack of concrete evidence to support an increase in student achievement.
• By strategically planning materials and lessons, teachers can streamline their workload and devote more time to individual student needs.
  • Transitioning to a 4-day school week could be a way to improve teacher satisfaction without necessarily reducing productivity.

Challenges

• Budget Cuts – A reduction in payroll expenses might be required to achieve cost savings and maintain a balanced budget.
• Childcare Concerns - For many working families, an extra day off school creates a childcare gap there becomes a need to find affordable and reliable childcare options for that additional day.
• Student Attention Span - Longer school may impact students' ability to focus and retain information.

Conclusions

While understanding the differences between traditional 5-day and 4-day school weeks is crucial, a deeper look is needed to inform optimal scheduling for school districts. Extensive research highlights potential benefits of a 4-day week, including cost savings for districts and improved teacher well-being with reduced burnout. Additionally, studies suggest positive academic outcomes for students. However, the research often overlooks stakeholders significantly impacted by the transition. This project addresses these gaps by examining the potential effects on crucial but often neglected groups, such as the transportation department, enrichment program teachers, and families requiring childcare on the additional day. By considering these factors alongside the established benefits, there is an aim to provide a comprehensive picture when presenting the findings to Connecticut public school superintendents. 

Future Directions

Leveraging the results from the project’s evaluation of a 4-day school week, there will be a presentation of research to Connecticut public school superintendents. With high hopes to secure majority of their support, as it is a crucial steppingstone for a successful transition. With the superintendents on board, the opportunity to approach the Connecticut State Department of Education and share our findings can be considered. The goal of this meeting being a space to share previous findings and an aim to educate department officials about the potential benefits of a shortened school week schedule can have. Ultimately, their understanding and endorsement would be instrumental in allowing Connecticut public schools to transition to a 4-day week.

Additional Material

View the sample invitation letter, a mock presentation and speaker notes

For Futher Disucssion

This serves as an overview of the project and does not include the complete work. To further discuss this project, please email Jessica Murgolo.

Course Overview

IDS 400: Transdisciplinary Project is the capstone course of the interdisciplinary studies major. Students design an individual integrative project using a transdisciplinary lens. The project can be creative, empirical, theoretical and/or professionally focused.

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