Should the School Week Be Shorter?

Over the past century, many schools have experimented with four-day weeks during tough times. When electricity and gasoline prices skyrocketed in the 1970s, for example, several states shortened school weeks. This enabled them to spend less on gas for buses and less on heating and cooling buildings. (Many schools returned to a five-day schedule after prices came down.)

Today, saving money remains a big reason that schools make the switch. It isn’t the only reason though. Shorter weeks can also be convenient—particularly in rural areas, where the four-day week is most popular.

Rural communities tend to be spread out, and students and staff can spend hours traveling to and from school each day. A weekday off means less time on the road. For students, that leaves more time for extracurriculars, errands, chores, jobs, and sleep—a key benefit for teenagers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 60 percent of middle schoolers and 70 percent of high schoolers don’t get enough rest each night.

However, the longer school days that often come with four-day schedules can cut into after-school activities. Between homework, dinner, and sleep, there may not be time for much else. That means it could be tough to squeeze in activities like basketball, music lessons, and martial arts on school days.

Extracurriculars aside, there are also questions about how a shorter week impacts learning. On average, students on four-day schedules spend 58 fewer hours in class each year than students on five-day schedules, according to the RAND study. 

Most research shows students on four-day schedules don’t perform as well on standardized tests, according to Paul Thompson, a professor at Oregon State University, who studies this topic. “Being in front of a teacher in a classroom matters a lot,” he says.

On the other hand, in the RAND study, teachers, principals, and parents all reported that kids learned as much—or more—on a four-day schedule as on a five-day one.

Of course, a day at school usually involves more than learning how to solve equations and write essays. There may also be physical education, electives like theater and robotics, face-to-face time with peers, and access to free meals. With one fewer day at school, students can miss out on these things—and that can be detrimental.

Take socializing, for example, which is important for mental health. Recent research from the CDC shows that teens who feel less connected to friends and adults at their schools are more likely to feel sad or hopeless. Could being away from school one additional day each week contribute to feelings of disconnection?

There are logistical challenges too. Working parents and guardians may have a tough time finding childcare on the extra day school is closed. 

“Making sure that the four-day week is working for all students and all families is important,” says Thompson. 

To find the right balance, some schools offer virtual learning or special activities on days off. In the Hull-Daisetta district, for instance, all students come in for a half-day one Friday each month. They use the time for a range of activities—from field trips to classes on cooking or building computers. 

After that? 

They’re off to enjoy the weekend.