pros and cons of shorter school days pros and cons of shorter school days

Practices for sports are still held on the fifth day, as are teacher conferences, staff development opportunities, and required janitorial work. Rural school districts find the greatest benefit in this area. Spread the loveEducation is a collaborative process, as it takes many stakeholders working in unison to help students succeed academically. 3. This extra hour can make the day pretty long especially for younger students, which can often lead to a loss of focus later in the day. 1. One is that it would likely mean that teachers would have to teach more classes, which could lead to burnout. In New Mexico, 18 of the states 89 school districts are currently using this alternative schedule. Students already feel like their school day is too long. It's almost the end of the first semester, and realizations are starting to set in. Sara Blackwell teaches Employment Law at University of South Florida in Tampa and she is a published author. There can be no one answer to this question because it is a matter of case by case. Here are some additional key points to think about when looking at the pros and cons of a 4-day school week. List of the Advantages of 4-Day School Weeks 1. There were also reduced sick days requested by their teaching staff. Increasing the length of school days may result in attention deficit and exhaustion, rendering the additional class time unproductive. Students that sit in lecture classrooms retain 10% or less of the information that is presented to them. Pro: An extended school day provides more flexibility for parents, eliminating the need for after-school care. Getting to school on-time or making it out for the bus is a constant battle. The pros and cons of year-round school - Care.com Resources Delaying school start times is associated with a decrease in bedtimes and an increase in sleep for every minute the school day is delayed. It may reduce the number of discipline referrals for students. You wont have to run the electricity or pay for buses. That means one of the biggest expenses for the district is immediately cut by 20%. Most parents work a 5-day schedule and struggle to adapt to a 4-day school schedule. It would also be beneficial to reduce the week in order to promote activity participation. The Melstone School District in Montana also shifted to a 4-day school week. 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. A story on the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's website said: 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 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. There are numerous advantages and disadvantages to each. The very thought of sending kids to school year-round makes some parents cringe. 6-7. In 2009, there were 3,000 schools in the United States operating on a year-round basis. Shorter School Days Are the Way - The Oarsman Research has shown that in this configuration, students who are low-income, minority, or special needs dont fare too well academically. Games occur in the evening, often on the weekend. She is the author and co-author of 12 books and serves as a consultant in K-12 and higher education. 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. Spread the loveBeing a teacher is a tough job. Staff recruitment is easier with the 4-day school week for school districts. 4-Day School Weeks Are on the Rise - What Are the Pros and Cons? Those against extended lunches might argue . It creates a long school day for students. Another potential drawback is that shorter school days could lead to more after-school activities, which could be a problem for working parents. It is also possible for schools to extend the school day in more districts across the country. They can explore and discover various hobbies and interests, maintain their stress levels and get more sleep. There tends to be less student exhaustion, which allows them to focus more on the learning process. 2. The Cons. 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? Overall, a shorter school schedule resulted in a 7% increase in math scores and a 3% gain in reading. You should approach these strategies with your childs teacher instead of punishing him or her. Pros. 1. Anticipated savings are in transportation, food and food service workers, hourly workers and utilities. If so, keep reading. Pros and cons of a four day working week. The move toward a shorter workweek is gaining momentum. Required fields are marked *, on Why School Days Should Be Shorter? Those that had implemented the alternative scheduling found that student attendance could rise by more than 20. This issue occurs at all grade levels. In Peetz Colorado a debate is going on four a four day school week. 5. With the long break of summer, many people prefer the short breaks of year round schools. Year-Round Or Traditional Schedule? - Public School Review Every community has their own unique requirements that must be addressed by school scheduling. As you can see, there are a lot of pros and cons to the 4-day school week, but in terms of its long-term effect on academic outcomes, the jury is still out. Adds flexibility to teacher's schedules. Some students and parents have been advocating for shorter school days, and there is some evidence to suggest that shorter days could be beneficial. Spread the loveUsually, people are under the wrong impression that geography does not offer many job opportunities, and there are no jobs for a geographer. 4. 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. To see how shorter school days hurt both teachers and students, we need to look at a major structural change in education. Despite these difficulties, many disabled students go on to lead successful and fulfilling lives. According to The Notebook, longer school days add to low energy and exhaustion. Pros and Cons of Year-Round School - American University They also said students can gain more time for fun and still receive an excellent education. 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. Con: School districts across the U.S. are struggling to make ends meet. Easier to recruit employees. Sometimes even starting school earlier in the . What Are Reasons to Have Shorter School Days? - Reference What are the pros and cons of shorter school week? Shortening the School Day | Education - Seattle PI over 1 million dollars on utilities, busing, and labor costs. 5. Schools are facing many issues today. that the flexibility of the 4-day work week helps them get more done. Pros and Cons of Longer School Days | GCU Blog In YRE, the number of days in school equals the number of days in a calendar year (180 days). Suffolk Public Schools went with a 7:25 am start time for their district and are saving almost $700,000 per year. The evaluated skills include science, math, and reading. The longer school days of a 4-day week make it almost impossible for teens to find a job after school. (5) Most costs that were reduced were Operations and maintenance, heating and cooling, janitor supplies. 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. When busing and after-school activities are included in that timeframe as well, some older students may find themselves putting in 12-hour days at school every day. Theyre from moments we remember having fun, whether that was in the classroom, the playground, or the athletics field. 1. Oklahoma Department of Education examined the economic effect of going to a On the other hand, there have been studies that found no significant difference in overall academic achievement between four-day districts and five-day districts. 2023 The Black Well Firm. Rural families experience the greatest impacts from the 4-day school week. It requires longer school days. Should We Have Shorter School Days? - The BlackWell Firm It can help teachers and students better manage the process of learning. That is because larger districts offer more activities, manage more student events, and operate essentially 7 days per week during the school year anyway. 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of 4 Day School Weeks In addition, they are given a week off for major holidays and 2 weeks of summer vacation at their parents discretion. During class time, young kids who are too exhausted to concentrate or perform well may experience tiredness or fall asleep. If school doesnt get out until 4pm, then the student makes it home at 5pm. The school day had to accommodate available daylight and the requirements of helping with the family farm. 1. Eleven states set the minimum number of instructional days between 160 and 179 days, and two states set the minimum above 180 days (Kansas and Ohio). Reasons Why the School Day Should Be Shorter - Synonym A new educational model could be implemented: 9-to-5 schools. Finally, some parents worry that shorter days could mean that their children would have less . Although sleep is a huge and major part, it is not the only part. Some are facing the debate about whether to keep standardized tests or not. 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. 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. Recently Michael Gove raised the issue of the length of school holidays and the school day - the former are apparently too long, the latter too short. Most parents have employment which requires them to be present for 8 hours per day, 5 days per week. Since the approach to curriculum development and pedagogical style varies by state and district, data must be disaggregated to evaluate specific impact. After-school activities begin at that point, which means some students dont make it back home until 8pm that night. But others are worried about when kids should be in school. We can all agree that school feels like it lasts forever. You have a lifespan that is nine years less than people who graduate: Statistically, you may have a shorter lifespan than people who have gone to school and have been empowered. Changing the Moniteau County R-1 School districts schedule to a four-day week would be detrimental to students safety and involvement in activities. There is the possibility of making up for lost time, especially those who are at a disadvantage due to the digital divide. Pros And Cons Of A Four-Day School Week - The Odyssey Online The. This occurs because a large number of students are moving around the school campus. A potential decline in academic performance for vulnerable groups. The Pros and Cons of a 4 Day Work Week - TimeCamp Out of a budget of $5.5 million, they saved $206,000. It starts too early, ends too late, and occurs far too often. Good for working parents: This would lead to less wraparound care for working . Should schools go to a 4 day school week instead of 5 days? You still have to go to practice, and dont forget the piles of homework that need done. All rights reserved. Such as emotional and behavioral problems, violence, depression, alcohol use, impaired cognitive function, etc. not just on the weekdays when students were out of school. It provides a realistic way for schools to remain open and also has added benefits beyond saving money. 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. The 4-day schedule eliminates one full driving day for the transportation department. Sacrifices Family Time. It is possible that children will be better prepared to concentrate when it matters because they will have more opportunities to move around and avoid being distracted by classroom rules. It lists the advantages of the four-day model as: Improved morale and fewer absences: A shorter working week leads to less burnout, making staff happier and more focused in . This is one of the strongest arguments in favour of a longer school day. Four-Day School Week Overview - National Conference of State Legislatures All rights reserved. The disadvantage is that more time does not equate to more learning. Most schools, when Year Round Schooling: Should it Be Implemented? The pros and cons of a 4-day school week offer many challenges. When teachers are more effective and efficient, student performance follows a similar pattern. The Pros and Cons of a Four-Day School Week - ThoughtCo schedule, the district adds 40 or so minutes to make up for the time lost on Potential for juvenile crime to increase. At the same time, the constant back-and-forth for students limits the amount of fun they can have. The I say this because we would have to start. The trade-off for a shorter week is a longer school day. After 12 hours of being away from home, students struggle to find time to study during the 4-day school week. Dr. Kelly S. Meier - Updated May 03, 2019, Copyright 2023 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Education, Explore state by state cost analysis of US colleges in an interactive article, NavajoCode: Unbiased Longer School Days Pros and Cons. Cutting that by 20% means a savings of $4 billion, if implemented nationwide. Better sleep: Delayed start time could help teens sleep during .