Four Day School Week Research Paper

Words: 790
Pages: 4

School is a very important part of life, but can also be draining and take a toll on students and staff's mental health at times. Four day school weeks are a great way of meeting in between the lines of too much school and too little. Leaving room for extracurriculars and weekend activities, but helping the school financially and helping attendance rates improve as well, and not only will students benefit, but teachers, administrators and parents too. Some individuals argue against the use of four-day school weeks, since they have various concerns. For instance, an article titled “The Pros and Cons of the Four-Day School Week” highlights the challenges faced by many families where adults work “ eight-hour days at least five days a week.” This …show more content…
In an interview with Christina McGahey, mother of two Wren High School students, she was asked, “Do you feel you would have any issue with four day school weeks?” She responded, “I feel like if we went to four day school weeks we wouldn't have enough learning time throughout the week.” However, four day school weeks, contrary to some opinions, such as Mrs. McGahey’s, actually offer numerous advantages that outweigh the disadvantages. One of the most significant benefits is the positive impact on student attendance. According to the article "Four Day School Week Overview,” published by the National Conference of School Legislatures (NCSL), "Studies have shown that student attendance improves under a four-day school week. With a longer weekend, students have more time to rest and engage in extracurricular activities, which can lead to better attendance during the week." This improvement is due to the longer weekend, which allows students to rest more and participate in extracurricular activities, ultimately resulting in better attendance throughout the …show more content…
As stated by the NCSL, "By reducing the number of school days, schools can save money on transportation, food and energy costs. This can be especially important for rural districts where students may need to travel long distances to get to school" (“Four-Day School Week Overview”). This arrangement serves as a strategic financial move for educational institutions. The reduction in operational costs, particularly on the day when there is no requirement to cater to and transport hundreds of students, highlights the advantage that schools stand to gain. Ultimately, the adoption of a four-day school week demonstrates a utilization of resources and optimized savings without compromising the quality of education. A final area of impact is the staff and teachers of these schools. In the RAND Corporation article entitled “The Four-Day School Week: Are the Pros Worth the Cons?” The authors state that “proponents of the four-day week also say a shorter workweek could get teachers to reconsider leaving their job.” Teachers who are considering quitting, may stay if this is