In the United States, only five states require recess in elementary schools, with Texas not one of them. The Chattooga County School District in Georgia shifted to a 4-day school week. Adds flexibility to teachers schedules. Dr. Kelly S. Meier - Updated May 03, 2019, Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, NavajoCode: Unbiased Longer School Days Pros and Cons. Rural school districts find the greatest benefit in this area. In some situations, a single teacher may be responsible for over 100 students. For the Cove School District in Eastern Oregon, the school day begins at 8am and doesnt end until 4pm. 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. Year-Round Or Traditional Schedule? - Public School Review We must ensure that every child has the opportunity to learn by improving the effectiveness of our schools and ensuring that all children have access to them. Shorter School Days Are the Way. recess is not only ineffective but also harmful to students who may feel that the punishment is excessive. When I was a teacher, many moons ago, this was a fringe schooling schedule only practiced by rural school districts. Webster County, Kentucky moved their school district to a 4-day week in 2003. This got me thinking about the pros and cons of longer vs. shorter trips. The evaluated skills include science, math, and reading. The Pros and Cons of the Four-Day School Week - LINQ Four day school weeks may not be a realistic situation for all schools throughout the nation, but for those that it is possible, the four day school week saves money, improves test scores, and further improves the school as a whole. Kuss Middle School in Fall River, Mass., has risen from a Level 5 to a Level 1 after implementing extended learning time. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. When implemented, however, 1st graders do just as well as teens with the expanded schedule and 3-day weekend. First, it would give students more time to focus on their homework and studies outside of school. The kids groan, complain about getting out of bed, and struggle to get through the morning routine. The driving force behind the proposal to lengthen the school day is the assertion that more instructional time would yield greater academic gains. Some research indicates there may be slight academic benefits to extending the school day. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. Teachers will have more leisure time to spend with their family as a result of the reduced school days. 4-day school weeks add School administration, associates with principal office also went down. Companies have been experimenting with shorter work days for at least a decade and, despite announcements that the 40-hour week is dead, there have been mixed results from the experiments. The Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative has already benefited 19 schools and over 10,000 students. Underperforming schools and the lagging performance of U.S. students in comparison to other countries is a concern. If you are arrested for spanking your child, you may face charges of assault, battery, child abuse, or domestic violence. 2 Students Should Be Getting More Rest In addition to students having more time to focus on important activities, a shorter school day would give them more time to rest. Well, for some rural schools across the nation, this has become a reality. Some are even cutting arts programs or shortening the school week to balance the budget. configuration, but nine districts were actually spending more. Some districts take just one week off at Christmas instead of two weeks because of these conflicts. The basic assumption of a 4 day work week is fulfilling the duties in a shorter amount of time, instead of the usual five-day workweek and receiving the same pay. Pros of Year-Round School. The only students who actually get to benefit from the 4-day school week are those that do not have any extra-curricular activities in which they are involved. 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. Schools can save up to 20% on some budget-line expenses with a 4-day week. You have a lifespan that is nine years less than people who graduate: Statistically, you may have a shorter lifespan than people who have gone to school and have been empowered. That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning. The Pros and Cons of Year-Round Schools. Data is an important variable if youre considering the longer school days pros and cons list. 1. 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. Despite these difficulties, many disabled students go on to lead successful and fulfilling lives. How would it sound if school weeks were only four days long and, in doing that, it saved your school money at the same time? Pros And Cons Of A Four-Day School Week - The Odyssey Online Those human beings that seem larger than life and almost achieve Godlike status. It takes about 4-years for schools to get these students back on track academically. Required fields are marked *, on Why School Days Should Be Shorter? Four day school weeks are becoming a necessity for some rural school districts that lack funding. On the plus side, employees love it. Teachers in Seattle are deciding how to use an additional 20 minutes on top of the usual school day. Teachers would be required to reimagine their curriculum and would need extra time to develop a curriculum to fit an expanded day. This may not seem like a lot, but when you factor in homework and after-school activities, it can be a lot for a student to handle. This solution has many mixed opinions from parents, teachers and. There are 21 states that have four-day school districts. According to ASCD, many disciplinary issues that students face come from scheduled transitions. In return, the number of disciplinary measures can also be reduced. 6-7. Dr. Meier is is a regular contributor for The Equity Network and has worked in education for more than 30 years. School days shorter? - The STEAM Press What Are Reasons to Have Shorter School Days? - Reference time attracting qualified applicants. The average time for school that is scheduled in a 4-day week is either 7:30am-5pm or 8am-5:30pm. In the United States, the average school day is around six and a half hours long. Shortening the school day can give kids and teens more time for movement, brain breaks, and other activities that have been shown to improve learning outcomes, among other benefits.. With more room to move and less worry about following the rules in class, kids can be better equipped to focus when needed. Other schools are worried about academic performance. The majority of these are found in the western United States, including Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Oklahoma, Thompson said. Students that sit in lecture classrooms retain 10% or less of the information that is presented to them. There are potential savings to food programs and other important areas of infrastructure because the school district is closed 1 additional day each week. Some districts have seen their disciplinary issues decline by more than 70% in the first two years of implementing a 4-day schedule. Should the school week be shortened to 4 days? - Wise-Answer Despite the fact that a few studies have recently been published, there is no significant research on the four-day school week. This provided the teacher with more freedom with curriculum and time management. Class runs Monday- Thursday with an added 40-60 minutes each day to compensate for the lost time by not having the schools run on Fridays. 1. Very Costly. One issue that schools face today is what kind of school schedule there should be throughout the year. Taking only one class is practically a . From the moment you walk into the second you walk out. Does this sound exciting and rich with possibilities? Anticipated savings are in transportation, food and food service workers, hourly workers and utilities. This is one of the strongest arguments in favour of a longer school day. Con: A lengthened school day may impede upon extracurricular activities, especially in secondary education. This has been a hot topic especially the states that dont have as large of an economy. About 20% of the states school districts incorporate a 4-day schedule of some kind. The article Should School Stay Earlier? It creates a long school day for 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. There are some drawbacks to shorter school days, as well. Having well-rested and happy employees can increase their overall work engagement and productivity. If so, keep reading. More teaching: Covid-19 has resulted in a lot of disruption in teaching. There are a few potential drawbacks to shorter school days. There are improvements in the school financially. Students already feel like their school day is too long. Keeping schools open five days a week is not financially feasible. Such as emotional and behavioral problems, violence, depression, alcohol use, impaired cognitive function, etc. 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. Many school districts keep their administrative staff on school grounds all week long, though some allow half to take a Monday off, while the other half takes Friday off. Savings on school buses and long-term building wear and tear have also been reported. According to a Center for American Progress study, traditional school schedules are out of sync with the current economic environment. The school also doesn't have to pay anyone that is on an hourly schedule. Another potential drawback is that shorter school days could lead to more after-school activities, which could be a problem for working parents. Spread the loveThis program assesses 15-year-old students schooling in countries that form part of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. When students are too tired or mentally exhausted to concentrate at the end of the day, the last hour becomes meaningless. 1. That also means some families, with children who are old enough, can eliminate daycare expenses completely with this type of scheduling option. Advantage: More time for other subjects. Read the Full Transcript Judy Woodruff: For many American students and. Teachers are attracted by the prospect of having a shorter work week. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. Should We Have Shorter School Days? - The BlackWell Firm Florida's inflation-adjusted education spending per student has roughly doubled in the last 30 years -- to $7,473 in 2000-01. 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. That reduces the effective time they would have for homework once they actually make it home. As you can see, there are a lot of pros and cons to the 4-day school week, but in terms of its long-term effect on academic outcomes, the jury is still out. That additional day can also be used for staff development time instead of taking away a school day to do so. Reasons Why the School Day Should Be Shorter - Synonym The. All of these consequences just because nobody wants to shorten the school day. Pros and Cons of Year-Round School - American University 10 Longer School Days Pros and Cons - Vittana.org Schools benefit from shorter school day - Chapin Chronicle Changing the times could increase attendance by 1%, which could bring in $40 million more. There are many changes with switching the school days. Younger people shouldn't have to work as long as some adults do. That means the average cost, per student, is about $700.