Proponents of the four-day school week say that while it may not be the right option in many places, the model gives certain schools that would otherwise struggle to attract top teaching candidates a leg up in meeting their staffing needs. There’s some evidence to suggest that the shorter schedule can make schools more attractive to applicants and reduce burnout among educators, by giving them a chance to use an extra day to handle the administrative duties that often bleed into what should be their personal time. In surveys, parents and students also strongly endorse the shorter week. “No one wants to go back,” one superintendent told EdSource. “There would be a riot.”
But critics say that those potential positives carry a big cost for students. While research into the practice is relatively limited, the most recent studies suggest that the four-day school week may lead to significant learning losses that compound over time. Even though most schools extend the school day to cover for at least some of the lost time, the four-day week nearly always means fewer hours of instruction and less academic growth. There are also major concerns about the practical impact of a shorter week, particularly for working parents who suddenly have to account for an extra day of childcare.
Others say the four-day school week, even if it does have marginal benefits in some circumstances, is ultimately a small adjustment that does nothing to address the funding shortfalls and cultural pressures that are the real reasons why American schools struggle.
