Which day would you rather have off, Monday or Friday? This extra day off every week is the reality of students in more than 1,600 districts across the country, with more and more schools adapting to this progressive schedule. Schools in states like Colorado, Missouri, Idaho and New Mexico are realizing the benefits of this new kind of school week. There are improvements in several different aspects of life for the students, parents and teachers that go by the four day school week. Every single school district in the United States should switch from the five day school week to the four day school week. 

The four day school week is not only beneficial, it is also incredibly popular among students and parents. Both of these groups heavily favor the four day school week over the traditional five day week. According to Stephen Sawchuk from EducationWeek, Parents and students, given the choice, overwhelmingly said they favored the four-day model, with 69 percent of the former and 85 percent of the latter preferring it over five-day schedules. The statistics don’t lie; a majority of people obviously support the four day week. The extra me-time that everyone would get from this would help ease the stress of school and improve the student body’s mental health. If the people that are supposed to benefit from the school system prefer the four day school week, it seems like a no brainer to implement it across the country. Being liked by students and parents is a great thing, but also benefiting the school system itself is another positive outcome of this progressive schedule. 

The school system has a lot to gain from the switch to a four day school schedule. The teachers would be able to get extra professional development on the fifth day instead of teaching. This would positively increase the educational material that students get and improve the school system overall. 

The school system would also receive financial benefits from this scheduling change. Lamar University states, By altering the traditional school schedule, the idea is that districts can save money. Each school day involves expenses like utilities and water consumption, as well as meals and cafeteria expenses. Many school staff members earn hourly wages, so labor savings can add up on the days when they do not work. The money that is saved by having an extra day off could be used by schools to improve curriculum or renovate school buildings. The benefits that the school system gains from the schedule change outweigh any perceived downturns.

Since students, parents, teachers and the school system overall all benefit from a four day schedule, it seems like switching to this improved schedule is the smart choice for school districts across the country. With every school district that makes this progressive schedule switch, the students of the nation come closer to having a better quality of education and life. I personally hope to see the next generation of kids in my town have the chance to experience a four day school week. We deserve to give ourselves a break, our sanity needs it. 

Works Consulted

Sawchuk, Stephen. “4-Day School Weeks: New Research Examines the Benefits and Drawbacks.” EducationWeek, 7 Oct. 2021, edweek.org/leadership/4-day-school-weeks-new-research-examines-the-benefits-and-drawbacks/2021/10. Accessed 5 May 2022. 

“The Pros and Cons of a Four-Day School Week.” Lamar University, 16 Aug. 2021, degree.lamar.edu/articles/education/the-pros-and-cons-of-a-four-day-school-week/. Accessed 5 May 2022.