The very thought of sending kids to school year-round makes some parents cringe. What are the pros and cons of longer school days? When implemented, however, 1st graders do just as well as teens with the expanded schedule and 3-day weekend. There are positive outcomes that may occur, but there are negative outcomes that must also be managed. So it is illogical to think that a four day week will help other grade levels. What are the pros and cons for students, teachers and school boards? A poll where 2,700 random people were polled about 67% favoured a 4 day school week(university of Scranton). Spread the loveGlobalization is the growing interconnectedness of countries around the world. They also said students can gain more time for fun and still receive an excellent education. Anticipated savings are in transportation, food and food service workers, hourly workers and utilities. Some districts have seen their disciplinary issues decline by more than 70% in the first two years of implementing a 4-day schedule. 6. 3. Saving on utilities school buses, and long term building wear and tear. Many break times have been incorporated in the calendar, such as morning recess, afternoon recess, snack time, and so on. Other concerns with early school start times and the resulting insufficient sleep include: Increased likelihood for participating in risk-taking behaviors, such as bullying and fighting. A three-day weekend allows for extra leisure time, as well as a reduction in commute and energy usage. Budgetary requirements are an important part of a longer school days pros and cons list. There are positive outcomes that may occur, but there are negative outcomes that must also be managed. In 2006, a study by Yarbrough and Gilman found that teachers working in a 5-day school schedule reported that they have a lot of wasted time. Finally, some parents worry that shorter days could mean that their children would have less time to participate in extracurricular activities. For school districts following the 4-day school week, the Thanksgiving holiday usually receives a full week off instead of the final two days of the week. School districts consider shorter school days for several reasons, including saving money and providing students the ability to participate in more extracurricular activities. Some school districts, particularly those that are in regions of the U.S. where snowfall creates a handful of cancellations each year, find that they are forced to reduce, if not eliminate, certain holidays or vacations. In return, the number of disciplinary measures can also be reduced. How To Switch School Districts Without Moving? Why should school weeks be shorter? This solution has many mixed opinions from parents, teachers and. . There can be no one answer to this question because it is a matter of case by case. If schools only had one day off per week, millions of dollars would be saved. Also, there have been studies that found that special populations do not thrive under this configuration. There are many changes with switching the school days. Spread the loveAfrican Africans have a long history of being mistreated in the United States, starting with slavery. It was suggested that a combination of four-week summer holidays and a school day finishing at 4:30pm would lead to improvements in pupil attainment. Administrative staff are required to be on-site, sports When students are too tired or mentally exhausted to concentrate at the end of the day, the last hour becomes meaningless. The benefits are many. Underperforming schools and the lagging performance of U.S. students in comparison to other countries is a concern. They saved 1.4%, or $45,000, instead. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, rendering the additional class time unproductive. Some educators believe that extending the school day until 5:00 p.m. is the answer. Ages. Well, at least initially. The article Should School Stay Earlier? Better sleep: Delayed start time could help teens sleep during . This got me thinking about the pros and cons of longer vs. shorter trips. Accidents, absences, and absences all fall on the decline, and students academic performance rises. Oklahoma Department of Education examined the economic effect of going to a the traditional 5th day. Children need the opportunity to rest and re-energize, and theyre often overextended with activities, homework and part-time jobs. Data is an important variable if youre considering the longer school days pros and cons list. I am glad that you asked. Many school districts still operate Monday-Friday, even on a 4-day week. Many of these schools are already operating on an alternative schedule because that is what works best for their community. What Grades Is Elementary School? However, there are advantages and disadvantages associated with shortening the school day that should be considered before sweeping action is taken to alter the traditional school day. Students in the third through sixth grades have improved their ACT scores, according to studies. Teachers will have more leisure time to spend with their family as a result of the reduced school days. The Massachusetts Expanded Learning Time Initiative has already benefited 19 schools and over 10,000 students. The school districts in New Mexico are one of the best examples of this benefit. Instead, an investment should be made in improving teaching strategies and new technology that could transform the learning process. Adds flexibility to teacher's schedules. Teacher time will be increased when the school day is extended, allowing them to spend more time with pupils and to concentrate on problem areas and more challenging content. In addition, they are given a week off for major holidays and 2 weeks of summer vacation at their parents discretion. Shorter work weeks can improve employment productivity and provide families with more meaningful time together. First and foremost, an extended school day would provide students with extra learning time. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Signup for The Edvocate Newsletter and have the latest in P-20 education news and opinion delivered to your email address! the fifth day, but they forget, they will still be open and running activities The districts on the 4-day school week are finding it easier to recruit for the staff they need because they offer the prospect of a 3-day weekend during the school year. Should the school day start later pros and cons? There are various school days in the United States. Pro: An extended school day provides more flexibility for parents, eliminating the need for after-school care. Harvest times were set in the old way and still are when most school calendars are set up, when the United States was a farm country. There are 21 states that have four-day school districts. That reorganization, though, and the underlying effort, will have much to do with reviving the American education system, and reviving a national love of learning. Another is that shorter days could lead to shorter attention spans in classrooms. . As with any innovation, shorter workweeks have advantages and disadvantages. The capital, insurance, maintenance, and administrative costs remain relatively constant. Some families find that aligning the school day with typical parent work schedules is a family-friendly approach. Rural school districts and small school districts benefit the most from a 4-day schedule because of their natural isolation. This may not seem like a lot, but when you factor in homework and after-school activities, it can be a lot for a student to handle. An understandable concern for parents, teachers, and students about the 4-day school week is the extended time required to be at school during the day. Delaying school start times will assist students in developing the skills required to reach their full potential. Pros. 4. Revisiting Using Edtech for Bullying and Suicide Prevention. A low income school in New Haven, Connecticut started the new year telling students they would be attending school until 4:15 P.M. four days a week. Student performance may improve with a 4-day school week. It almost forces some families into taking their vacation time from work during these holidays to accommodate the needs of their children. So it is illogical to think that a four day week will help other grade levels. Wildbit, a company based in the US, a portion of whose workforce works remotely, tested the 4-day week to see whether the shorter working hours will affect employee productivity. He goes on to say that in order to realize that level of savings, schools must severely limit transportation for activities or programs not conducted on regular school days. When it comes to school, we most likely understand what its like to go to school all year. Others believe that lengthening the school day is an expensive endeavor that wont yield substantial results. Shorter class durations allow students to enroll in a variety of courses. Those changes happen because students who are active participants in their learning have more fun in school. If young kids are too weary to concentrate or perform well in class, they may experience weariness or fall asleep during class time. The American Academy of Pediatrics states that children between the ages of 12 and 18 require at least eight hours of sleep per night, and in some cases as much as nine hours. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. It provides a realistic way for schools to remain open and also has added benefits beyond saving money. According to ASCD, many disciplinary issues that students face come from scheduled transitions. Increases student attendance. Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. These 300 would have to find some alternative to school on Fridays if the Moniteau County R-1 School Districts schedule changed from a five day week to a four day week. Additional learning time as well as improved schedule alignment would make the lives of families noticeably more pleasant. She is the author and co-author of 12 books and serves as a consultant in K-12 and higher education. Along with giving kids more time to concentrate on critical activities, a shortened school day would also provide pupils with more opportunity to relax. There are potential savings to food programs and other important areas of infrastructure because the school district is closed 1 additional day each week. Year-Round Schedules Many people think of the school year as starting in August or at the beginning of September and continuing for 10 months. Delaying school start times has been shown to have positive outcomes for students and families in overwhelming scientific research. The basic assumption of a 4 day work week is fulfilling the duties in a shorter amount of time, instead of the usual five-day workweek and receiving the same pay. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days Advantage: More time to devote to learning. 4-day school weeks add This occurs because a large number of students are moving around the school campus. Parents can drop-off their kids in the morning, then pick them up in the afternoon, without worrying about work. Longer school days make no sense when there is so much else we could be doing with our time. ", 21 Payday Loan Industry Statistics, Trends & Analysis, 100 Best Side Hustles for Teens to Make Money, 10 Proven Psychological Pricing Strategies with Examples, 100 Office Etiquette Rules You Need to Know, 50 Best Business Letter Closings of All-Time. As a result, students dont have to miss school to help out. The pros and cons of a 4-day school week offer many challenges. Pros and cons of a four day working week. One internet search reveals a wealth of opinions on both sides of the issue, and each argument sheds light on the topic. One of the primary reasons why school districts, especially rural districts, save money when they shift to a 4-day schedule is because there are fewer transportation costs. The Oakridge School District in Oregon reported that their test scores improved when they shifted to this alternative schedule as well. If you ask the average kid what they think about school, youll get a very honest answer: Its boring. From K-12, it can be difficult for students to stay engaged in the classroom during a 5-day school week. Special correspondent Lisa Stark of Education Week reports on the pros and cons for students, families and schools. Most students in the four-day districts80 percent of high school students and 90 percent of elementary studentsspent their "off day" at home. It may improve overall student attendance. Schools are facing many issues today. At the same time, the constant back-and-forth for students limits the amount of fun they can have. Each community has unique needs which must be met, so there is the possibility of a 4-day week being useful to some districts, but not others. With the 4-day schedule, another 1.5 hours is added to their school day, every day. 6-7. It matches the class schedule to a parent's work schedule. In 2007-2008, the United States had an average school day of 6.64 hours per day, and an average school year of 180 days. The Advantages and Disadvantages of Extended School Days. Disadvantage: Less time for extracurricular activities. Theyre from moments we remember having fun, whether that was in the classroom, the playground, or the athletics field. 6. It was a kneejerk response to dwindling education budgets and the belief that schools could save a ton of money by operating Monday through Thursday, which in theory would lower their operating expenses. In the United States, about 50% of all companies are either offering or thinking about offering a 4-day workweek for their workers. What Are the Pros of a Longer School Day? (Question). Since the approach to curriculum development and pedagogical style varies by state and district, data must be disaggregated to evaluate specific impact. 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. The organization 4 Day Week Global sponsored the program. But others are worried about when kids should be in school. They need a shorter school day so they can have more time to relax and play. They question the value of a continuous . The four-day week did not appear to affect. The current school schedule is a major downgrade from the 8:30 AM to 2:00 PM distance learning schedule. One of the biggest concerns of a 4-day school week is the length of seat time that younger students must complete. The schools who did switch the expenses reduced by 20%, transportation would reduce also by 20%, and the average district could have saving of 5.43% total budget. time attracting qualified applicants. Students in a 4-day school week are packing 180 days into a condensed 145-day schedule. Colorado, juvenile crime increased by 73% whenever a school changed their They balk at the idea of kids attending schools with no summer break. Four day school weeks have been discussed by many schools, and some schools already have them. These actions often negate the benefits of the 3-day weekend because it really isnt a true 3-day weekend. The only question is does it hurt students education but the statistics are showing that is clearly not the case one bit. This can be due to a lack of accessible facilities and resources, or negative attitudes and misconceptions from teachers and classmates. (Solution). Some families find that aligning the school day with typical parent work schedules is a family-friendly approach. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, making the additional class time inefficient. Required fields are marked *, on Why School Days Should Be Shorter? Four day school weeks are becoming a necessity for some rural school districts that lack funding. 4. There are several advantages and disadvantages of 4-day school weeks to examine based on the results that districts are reporting from their efforts to implement this schedule. It is possible to have a negative impact on some laboratory classes by reducing the number of minutes in class each day. The majority of these are found in the western United States, including Oregon, Montana, Idaho, Colorado, and Oklahoma, Thompson said. . Does precision really make a program successful? In the United States, the average school day is around six and a half hours long. As a result, learning is less effective due to budget constraints. manageable in a myriad of ways. 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. It provides an extra day for actual rest to occur when it may be needed without compromising the remainder of the family schedule. Most parents work a 5-day schedule and struggle to adapt to a 4-day school schedule. Why shorter school days are better for teachers? They found out that seven school districts saved money under the new Another is that shorter days could lead to shorter attention spans in classrooms. It might help school districts save money. In 2009, there were 3,000 schools in the United States operating on a year-round basis. Schools are able to switch to a four-day week by simply increasing the length of their school day. I believe that if we go to a four day school week that it would help the kids physically, mentally, and financially. When properly implemented, extended learning time programs have the potential to increase students academic progress as well as their social and emotional development. When a school opts to go with an early start time, then students are spending less time sitting in traffic as they head to class. There are approximately 300 children enrolled in California Elementary School under the age of eight. 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. Spread the loveBuilding a culturally responsive classroom is hard. The Compacting school into just four days a week leaves more time for kids to spend with family, friends and outside interests. By shifting to a 4-day schedule, it becomes easier to transport students to all after-school events and activities because there is an extra day available to plan activities without running into mandatory school times. Additional costs savings from a shorter day include less . Kids already spend a very long time each week in the school and away from their family. The move toward a shorter workweek is gaining momentum.
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