STP every day allows students to do their schoolwork, resulting in reduced overall stress. If so, keep reading. Because school buses are only running 4 days per week instead of 5 days, there is the potential of reducing transportation costs by up to 20% by shifting the schedule. 1. The. It is critical to avoid producing a longer school day and instead produce a healthier, more balanced, and more engaging one. This has been a hot topic especially the states that dont have as large of an economy. The list just gets longer. Additional costs savings from a shorter day include less . Year-round schooling has been proposed as a better option for students than a traditional 9-month schedule. About 20% of the states school districts incorporate a 4-day schedule of some kind. Some students believe that having a four-day school week allows them to get more rest and to be in a less stressful atmosphere than they would otherwise have. Another is that shorter days could lead to shorter attention spans in classrooms. Home Pros and Cons 20 Major Pros and Cons of a 4 Day School Week. There have been several studies that reported the 4-day school week had positive effects on student's math and reading scores. The More teaching: Covid-19 has resulted in a lot of disruption in teaching. This could be especially true for students who are struggling in a particular subject or for students who have a lot of homework. It also means that certain holiday vacations, such as Thanksgiving, are extended to a full week, and that can be a scheduling concern for many families. Those that had implemented the alternative scheduling found that student attendance could rise by more than 20. If practicums can be included with small group discussions, the retention rate can top 90% for some students. We were able to build a strong community and school consensus as a result of our programs success. This information is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Here are a few: 1. They can supervise their children at the bus stop in rural districts as well. Examining the pros and cons of year-round school gives insight into why some education leaders push for its adoption while others argue for sticking to the traditional 10-month schedule. Less time in school could allow students the freedom to discover other interests that are fulfilling and stimulating. In the 4-day school week When students are too tired or mentally exhausted to concentrate at the end of the day, the last hour becomes meaningless. But the extra money hasn't gone into teachers' salaries, which have dropped on average from . Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, rendering the additional class time unproductive. the fifth day, but they forget, they will still be open and running activities For the parents of younger students, an additional full day of daycare may need to be scheduled every week instead of a partial day. In general, ELT has received positive feedback; however, some schools have had more difficult transitions than others. The Trump Administrations Vindictive Attack On Federal Workers: The Shutdown Of The Office Of Special Counsel, Michigan State University College Of Law: A Top Law School, Why Union Safe Company Is The Best Choice For Protecting Your Home Or Business, The Life Of John Laurens: A Patriot Lawyer And Army Officer. Sometimes even starting school earlier in the . In the United States, $17.5 billion each year is spent on school bus transportation. A 4 day work week would promote an equal workplace as employees would be able to spend more time with their families and better juggle care and work commitments. How do longer school days affect students? Spread the loveApplying for admission to professional and graduate schools is no less competitive than college/undergraduate admissions. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, making the additional class time inefficient. 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. His conclusion was that the best way to solve poverty was to educate the children in public schools. I say this because we would have to start. 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You should approach these strategies with your childs teacher instead of punishing him or her. schedule, the district adds 40 or so minutes to make up for the time lost on Approximately 1,800 schools in the U.S. have extended learning hours, but there are many pros and cons of extended school days. Practices for sports are still held on the fifth day, as are teacher conferences, staff development opportunities, and required janitorial work. Having well-rested and happy employees can increase their overall work engagement and productivity. Sports schedules are easier to manage. If so, keep reading. Decreased need to re-teach skills after long vacations, allowing teachers to use classroom time more efficiently. The program not only saves districts money, but it also allows students to spend more time with their families. The Agrarian calendar is rooted in the past. The length of the school day in China varies from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. With a shortened school day, the amount of instructional time would be reduced. There is no one answer to this question as it can depend on individual circumstances. The four-day week did not appear to affect. Some families find that aligning the school day with typical parent work schedules is a family-friendly approach. There are many changes with switching the school days. In the United States, about 50% of all companies are either offering or thinking about offering a 4-day workweek for their workers. On top of that, you will likely only be taking 1-2 classes at a time instead of four or more. For school districts struggling with funding issues, the potential savings here could save the budget. Does this sound exciting and rich with possibilities? Students follow the same type of pattern. In New Mexico, 18 of the states 89 school districts are currently using this alternative schedule. In YRE, the number of days in school equals the number of days in a calendar year (180 days). List of the Advantages of 4-Day School Weeks 1. This leads to added costs that some families, living paycheck to paycheck, may not be able to afford. Shorter, intense courses in which a semesters worth of content is delivered at an expedited rate were deemed to be more successful by students in a recent study by academics at the University of Texas at Austin. Long school days can cause eating problems for students who don't eat at school, or who use up all their energy while learning. 1. Many of these districts are small and rural, such as Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Wyoming. four-day week across 16 school districts. 2. Most parents work a 5-day schedule and struggle to adapt to a 4-day school schedule. To compare, a regular semester generally lasts 16-18 weeks. Spread the loveThe Talent Search Initiative has as its aim; the identification of high-performing students by organizing specific tests. Spread the loveAre you looking for strategies to help students who cannot fasten their own clothes? 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. The Chattooga County School District in Georgia shifted to a 4-day school week. School administration, associates with principal office also went down. Going to the 4-day schedule can create scheduling conflicts with other districts, particularly with sporting events, performances, and groups like 4-H. 3. In addition, they are given a week off for major holidays and 2 weeks of summer vacation at their parents discretion. 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. When teachers operate under time constraints, in high-pressure situations, then they typically default to a lecture-based teaching style. Savings on school buses and long-term building wear and tear have also been reported. 2. Their child is at home while they are at work, which is problematic for parents of younger children. According to The Notebook, longer school days add to low energy and exhaustion. What Are the Pros of a Longer School Day? The kids groan, complain about getting out of bed, and struggle to get through the morning routine. Younger people shouldn't have to work as long as some adults do. This is one reason school districts use to implement dress codes. 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. 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. School districts consider shorter school days for several reasons, including saving money and providing students the ability to participate in more extracurricular activities. There is the possibility of making up for lost time, especially those who are at a disadvantage due to the digital divide. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. At the same time, the constant back-and-forth for students limits the amount of fun they can have. 2023 The Black Well Firm. However, disabled students often face additional challenges in accessing education and achieving academic success. But just because the final bell rang doesnt mean that youre done. 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. It requires longer school days. Extending the school day is a hot topic for educational policy making bodies. Also, since special populations fare poorly in this configuration, the costs of Games occur in the evening, often on the weekend. This provided the teacher with more freedom with curriculum and time management. Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. Custer School District, in rural South Dakota, believed they could save $70,000 with a 4-day school week. Saving on utilities school buses, and long term building wear and tear. Increases student attendance. Kids that go to schools with the 4-day week are often happier, stay happy throughout the school year, and look forward to going to school each day. Arlene Ackerman says she and her students don't have the strength to teach or learn near the end of the school day. If young kids are too weary to concentrate or perform well in class, they may experience weariness or fall asleep during class time. Extending the school days even longer would further cut into valuable time to bond with family. Such as emotional and behavioral problems, violence, depression, alcohol use, impaired cognitive function, etc. It is possible to have a negative impact on some laboratory classes by reducing the number of minutes in class each day. Year-round education (YRE) is being considered or adopted by some districts. Ages. Children have more time to participate in other activities that help them learn more. According to him, providing education to all would be beneficial to society. The ability to offer a 3-day weekend, every weekend, is a powerful motivator for school districts that are recruiting for quality employees. Well, for some rural schools across the nation, this has become a reality. In the United States, the average school day is around six and a half hours long. We call for a relatively radical and certainly quite comprehensive reorganization of Americas P-20 system. That can make it difficult for some students to pay attention to the information being provided. In comparison to 2007, the number of public schools that offer year-round programs has increased by 26%. Theyre from moments we remember having fun, whether that was in the classroom, the playground, or the athletics field. In this article, we will examine this question in depth. It involves increasing communication and various forms of interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and cultures. A three-day weekend allows for extra leisure time, as well as a reduction in commute and energy usage. In many cases, it is in the best interests of students to reduce costs and have minimal impact on instruction. When implemented, however, 1st graders do just as well as teens with the expanded schedule and 3-day weekend. One way to address these issues is to shift the traditional school schedule into a 4-day week. Small group learning with discussion, for example, increases the information retention rate for students up to 80%. After 12 hours of being away from home, students struggle to find time to study during the 4-day school week. Teachers have more time to prepare lessons and collaborate during the day. 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.