Shorter schedules may make schools more attractive to applicants and reduce burnout but the most recent studies suggest that the four-day week may lead to significant learning losses that compound over time.
Hundreds of school leaders are in the nation's capital today advocating for increased federal funding to expand mental health counseling and fill staff vacancies.
"The ESSER money is a lot, but it's not as much as everybody thinks," says Bernard McCune, Denver Public School's associate chief of academics. "Everyone thinks that schools are just flush with money and they throw everything at schools without intentionality. What we've done is use ESSER as an opportunity to innovate."
Almost all after-school programs have reopened, but staffing shortages and related issues mean one in four are still not operating at the capacity they were prior to COVID.
A panel of experts issues three calls to action around student mental health that include smarter tech use and "big tent" thinking by cooperative communities.
Despite a brighter outlook after three years of turbulence, superintendents are extremely concerned about staffing issues: "We're in a better place, but teacher shortages could stall progress."
Nearly half of superintendents say they're likely to leave their job within three years due to pandemic-related stressors, such as a lack of funding and staffing to address mental health and behavior.
It's a 24/7 job that eats into family time, cuts short vacations and requires a thick skin and plenty of grace. Just ask the wife of Superintendent David Hoffert.
Communication, district goals, making tough decisions, knowing your values, and focusing on students helped our district successfully complete one of the very toughest school years.
